The Starlight Soldiers
by Titancybermon
Summary: A team of male Sailor Soldiers crumbles under the heavy weight of betrayal, greed, and murder.
1. Chapter One: The Premonition

Hello all, this is a story I wrote for an extra credit project in English class. It was pretty horribly written, so today I got really bored and decided to re-write it and I wanted you guys to give me your feedback on it. Okay? Okay. Now this takes place in an alternate universe. AU!! AU!! Okay, I don't want you people sending me flames because this is gonna be slightly different because I am telling you right now! THIS IS AN AU SAILOR MOON BASED STORY! Now, in order for you to get some of it, you need to just pretend the Sailor Scouts are male, and basically my story goes on exactly the same, right after Super S, except I replace the female characters with male characters. So if you have done your homework on a book I call common sense, you will know that that means that there are no scouts from Sailor Moon in here, because the Males are them in a sense.   
  
Now for the disclaimer. I DO NOT OWN SAILOR MOON YOU DAMN LEGAL NERDS! This is a Fan Fiction F-A-N F-I-C-T-I-O-N keywords fan+fiction. I am a fan, so thus I make fiction. Get it? Thought so. Now we will commence with the story and by the way, the sailors are referred to as Soldiers, not scouts, it just sounds better for males. And please, I urge you if you like this please R&R "The Legacy of the Phoenix", I consider that my best work. [towards the end anyway]  
  
Enjoy ^-^  
  
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Chapter 1: The Premonition  
  
Darkness prevailed. After years of trying to conquer what many refer to as the light, darkness finally prevailed. He loved that feeling. The feeling of a rush in adrenaline as he would stare down at those who used to deny him, that almost orgasmic sense of victory that was rightfully his--what wasn't to love.   
  
A throne could be seen. Positioned with a lustful coating of darkness and gray. A black silhouette could be seen now. Poised on the seat, comfortable yet confident, except...it wasn't exactly one figure anymore, it seemed to be more than that, or at least that is what its aura implied. The figure seemed familiar, yet different at the same time...sort of like your grandmother in a bikini, the familiar figure, face and warmth, yet some new-wonton--vital energy shrouded around it.   
  
It's face could not be seen, not enough light, but there was something that needed to be seen. Or maybe 'seen' wasn't the right word...he could feel himself getting closer to it---it's warmth increased. All of the sudden, the throne seemed much bigger than it really was, or how it had appeared to him from afar. He could almost reach the figure, it seemed to give off a little more features, it had a muscular body, powerful and its loins and figure seemed to give off a 'glow' rather. But he didn't care about its body, he wasn't intimidated by it in the slightest, he just needed to see its face...if he could just see his face, maybe he wouldn't sweat so much anymore, maybe his heart would stop pounding in his ears, he didn't know...his curiosity and need to learn was almost a lust now, he needed to know what that figure was--what did it look like.  
  
He finally was feet from the beast, he thought, he thought of it as a beast now because--there simply was nothing else to call it. It was too large and strong to be a human, and too human shaped to be an animal. He was starting to see its face. It had five of them. However, to his liking, the creature seemed to refrain itself from attacking as he got closer to it. He was inches away now. His lusts could finally be fed.  
  
He moved one inch closer. Nothing happened.  
  
Another inch. Silence.  
  
He could feel himself centimeters away from its faces, he had already found himself on its lap, peering upwards at its many skulls and teeth, 'why not one more', he thought. He could feel its breath brushing briskly against his white flesh. He was taken aback.   
  
He wanted to see its eyes now. Maybe it was dead, but that would not explain its heavy breathing...or his.  
  
Finally, swallowing all of his fears he took the final step forward to its face...  
  
Suddenly, the head next to the one in the middle stretched itself to be right in front of him. His breathing increased, he was ready to die. He still couldn't see the head's full facial features. Each head moved its neck as if it was a sort of serpent.   
  
The same head that had moved earlier now swiftly broke the silence and hissed the intruder back down onto the ground. The head had shown itself to him with its long and scale infested neck.   
  
The intruder fell to the ground, knowing that one of the heads was an exact copy of himself.   
  
Maybe it was some sick trick his eyes were playing on him. 'NO, THAT IS BULLSHIT!' he thought again. It was him and it scared the breathe right out of him. Was the large, five headed creature going to kill him now that he saw one of its faces?  
  
Normally he would have been frozen in horror and pain after that large fall, but now he saw 4 figures standing beside of him---They were his four companions, he stared at them in horror, they all seemed to be poised in a ritual circle, their heads were no longer on their bodies, but their clothes gave their identity away.  
  
He quickly arose and stared in a rueful fury at the multi-headed creature. But all the creature could do was laugh like some sick psychopath. He could now hear words projecting from the center head.  
  
"Say your last prayers, soldiers, because you are not getting another chance." he cackled maniacally.  
  
All the intruder wanted to do was scream with all of his might, but he felt something different. His lower and middle body was in tact…his feet were there, he could feel his arms and his hands…but he knew something was different. He felt his shoulders and gradually moved his hands up--he panicked---there was no longer a head resting on his shoulders.  
  
The creature arose from its throne in total amusement as the intruder frantically searched for his head. He realized he was now blinded and he found something warm…and sticky beneath his palm. It was his mutilated head. He could hear 5 different voices laughing uncontrollably at him, one of them his own. With everything left within him he finally found the strength to scream--- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"STOOOOP!" Matt roared rambunctiously in the middle of his class. Everyone stared at him from their seats.  
  
"Is there a problem, Mr. Holloman?" asked his teacher, beyond frustrated with her student.  
  
"No, Mrs. Hunter." Matt replied overly embarrassed with his flushed cheeks and saliva speaking the truth for him.  
  
His friend Cole nudged at his elbow to get his attention.  
  
"You had another vision didn't you?", whispered his concerned friend while Mrs. Hunter wrote Matt's name on her board, irked and frustrated.  
  
"Yes.", Matt muttered. 


	2. Chapter 2:The New Evil

The New Evil [The First Kill]  
  
To Matt's relief school had finally ended and he could talk more freely to his companions about his disturbing vision. As soon as the anticipated final bell rang, Matt immediately told his friends to meet him at his home since his parents were gone…where they could not be overheard.  
  
  
  
Matt waited frantically at his house for his friends to arrive. He needed to do something to get his mind off of his vision. He suddenly had the urge to vacuum and make snacks for the others while he was waiting which were things he usually didn't do. It was just last week he had yelled at everyone to bring their own food because he certainly wasn't going to waste his time making popcorn and such for all of them to bulge everything into their mouths while his would remain empty. He had experienced that too many times.   
  
He heard a distinct 'ching' sound from behind him and he jumped in fright impulsively. He looked back to see it was only the microwave. The popcorn was ready…  
  
He felt slightly warm now, the first time that day, the brisk sweat he had aquired during his vision had soaked his shirt and it had kept him cool all day. He was starting to feel warm a second time now. The embarrassment of him yelling out in the middle of class ,soaked in sweat, was getting to him. What could his peers and Ms. Hunter be thinking about him right now…?, he constantly thought to himself. He tried to assure everyone that he was not crazy, but that just seemed to make everyone around him think otherwise. They did believe him, right? They were just shocked…not afraid of him now…were they? Angry thoughts flowed through his mind now.   
  
It had not been the first time he had a vision of the what was to come. In fact, he seemed to have them quite often, each time being worse and today being the worst. He had been having this vision several times already. In bits and pieces mainly, he didn't think too much of it at first, he hardly even remembered what they were about but after today he was rudely reminded. Usually he would have these visions every time new evil was around…but they just never seemed to be as extreme as this particular one and never as graphic, but he had visions so often that it wasn't very special to anyone anymore when they occurred. He was now feeling very angry again.   
  
Suddenly his thoughts scattered as the doorbell rang and his 4 companions invited themselves into his house. Matt was so absent minded today that he had forgotten to lock the door.   
  
First through the door was Andrew, the brainiest of the group and probably one of the most sensitive (besides Cole of coarse). He walked in with his school uniform still on with his blue tie undone around his neck. He swished back his almost blue highlighted hair with his fingers.   
  
Next through was David, walking very poised and uniform through the glass entrance. He was what everyone joked his as the pretty boy of their small squad. With his blue eyes, bright blonde hair, and light skin he could easily be mistaken for Freddy Prinze Jr. himself.  
  
Right after David came a rugged boy with his varsity football jacket worn proudly over his school uniform; their one and only Drake. He was one of the tallest boys in the school and it was shown as he bended down slightly to enter Matt's front door. His uniform was slightly different from the others, instead of a maroon trimming around his collar and sleeves, his was green because he legs were so long that the school had no uniforms that would fit him, so he wore his uniforms from his previous school in California and since dark green slacks didn't go too well with a maroon shirt, they allowed him to wear his green polo's from his other school as well.   
  
And finally, as if trying to make some cameo entrance, Cole walked through the door last, his trademark black leather jacket over his uniform. He stared brightly at everyone as he closed the door. Everyone always thought of Cole as their leader and head of their team, but as much courage as he had, he had clumsiness. Matt was very surprised he had escaped tripping at the entrance as he often did. Unexpectedly he tripped over Andrew's sneakers and fell flat on his face. Matt had spoken too soon…  
  
  
  
Drake and Andrew quickly helped Cole back on his feet and then walked towards Matt who tapped his feet irritably. This was normal for Matt though, he was usually very easily infuriated with Cole who now approached him.  
  
"So Matt, what was this unscheduled meeting about?", Cole asked quietly and naively.  
  
Matt simply glared at him for a moment and started sarcastically, "Well I don't know, Cole, call me flighty but I think this may have to do an incy tiny bit with…" He paused for a moment "THE VISION I FOUND MYSELF HAVING DURING CLASS TIME THAT HAS NOW MADE EVERYONE THINK I AM PSYCHO!"  
  
"Well, Matt, you sure aren't helping to disprove that one…", Cole urged, trying to infuriate Matt more.  
  
Andrew quickly stood between the two and separated them from ripping each others heads off. "Cool it ,you two!", he glared with his temples throbbing.  
  
  
  
"Fine.", Matt sneered, "Why don't you all take a seat in the study at the round table?"  
  
They all walked towards the quiet room and did as he asked. Everyone made themselves comfortable and was ready for someone to say something. Coincidentally, Cole took the opportunity, now more solemn than before.  
  
"Why don't we start off, Matt,", Cole said, apologizing to his friend with his eyes "by you telling us what exactly happened in your dream."  
  
"Vision.", Matt shot irritably.  
  
"Sorry.", Cole cleared his throat. "Vision."  
  
Matt told the whole group exactly what had happened in his vision, every detail accurate and visual as it was the horrible moments he was having it.  
  
"Whoa." , Drake said with his hand put over his forehead as if he had a headache "What could that mean?"  
  
"Nothing good." Andrew quickly responded "But I doubt you were actually 'seeing' what was to come--"  
  
Matt interrupted him furiously "What is that supposed to mean! For gods sake it was not a damn dream okay!"  
  
"LET ME FINISH!" Andrew shot right back at him "That isn't what I mean. I meant that the dream was more along the lines of being symbolic than it actually occurring." Matt blushed. "But the thing is that the earth has been in peace ever since we abolished Nehelenia and the Dark star. I was so hopeful that she was the last threat. Its been two years since we have even transformed. Why now, I wonder."  
  
"Do you think she could have come back?" asked David worriedly  
  
"Are you kidding!" exclaimed Drake, getting up from his chair. "First of all she no longer has the dark star to restore he powers and second of all, she was a total nut job after we were through with her. She is probably still trapped in the stupid mirror. Old hag.", he scowled silently.  
  
"I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS!", Cole yelled, slamming his fist on the table, now more calm "All I know is that we have to stop whoever it is as soon as possible. If we get one more death like we did three years ago…I-I'll---"  
  
Cole never had a chance to finish his threat, as soon as he was to finish his sentence the clashing sound of a car flying from a highway and into the ground had caused the group to jump up in surprise. They all fled from the study and outside where they saw thousands of tiny explosions occurring all over the city. It was like a fireworks show gone mad. Screams could be heard everywhere from the next house to up to 2 miles away. The boys ran to a secluded corner outside Matt's home, Cole infuriated now.  
  
"Its show time!" Their leader roared, grabbing a small wand out of the inside pocket of his jacket. The others did the same. "SATURN STARLIGHT POWER!"  
  
Andrew moved up one step and flashed his wand towards the sky, "MERCURY STARLIGHT POWER!"  
  
  
  
Drake joined in next, clutching his small scepter tightly exclaiming "JUPITER STARLIGHT POWER!"  
  
Matt, following right after Drake, also roared "MARS STARLIGHT POWER!"  
  
  
  
Although slightly reluctant, David raised up his wand and cried "VENUS STARLIGHT POWER!"  
  
The 5 wands glowed a color corresponding to their element and in a millisecond they all gave one large flash and out of the light came all 5 boys in their Sailor Soldier uniforms which consisted of long army boots (each with corresponding color), short and spiked gloves, and their Sailor themed uniforms, each giving a sort of aura that gave them a great presence and stature.  
  
The Sailor Soldiers ran towards the fallen car which was flaming and on the verge of explosion. Andrew quickly responded with his computer headset over his left eye which scanned the car. "Whoever was driving that car is still alive in there." he spoke while his headpiece flashed repeatedly. "I can take care of those flames." he said to more himself than the others "MERCURY AQUA TUNDRA!" he cried, sending a high pressured water blast from his gloves and at the car which was now soaked and flameless.  
  
Mars ran towards it with all of his speed and rescued a man out of his water logged, and ruined, car. He set him down gently a safe distance away and ran towards the others where Cole spoke as fast as he could.  
  
"Mercury says that he doubts that any deaths have occurred so far.", Saturn started and then said with more flare in his voice. "And we WILL keep it that way. We must find the cause of the explosions."  
  
The others nodded and scattered. Each went a separate way to find the cause of the still occurring explosions in the sky. Cole headed straight for the highway.   
  
All of the traffic seemed to have stopped and all he could see ahead of him was a setting sun above him and the hot tar below him, he was clueless as to where to look. He could still hear the screams of civilians echoing and starting around him…yet nothing seemed wrong. Even the explosions seemed to have ceased….but why were they still screaming…Something shiny appeared under Cole's eyes, it was a brand new and obviously polished penny. Cole seemed amazed on how or why someone would keep a penny so clean , and then drop it on the highway….  
  
  
  
Against all of his better judgment, he bent down to pick it up. He felt like he had been hit in the back by a train. He fell over and tar scratched and dirtied his clear complexion. He tried to look back but someone was holding his neck to the ground…almost strangling him.   
  
He was flung over and then thrown into a car that its owner had obviously abandoned. The windshield cracked loudly and his head and back throbbed. Everything was blurry and he couldn't make out what was in front of him. He impulsively reached for his scepter on the side of his waist and was now holding it in his hand. Suddenly a long neon green rope ejected from the blurry figure's palm onto Cole's neck. It pulled on it which caused Cole to fly towards it, his face almost dug into the dry tar. He now realized this caused him to drop the scepter. He was now convinced this thing wasn't human.  
  
Cole was now under its nose and could see it clearly now. It was in the shape of a very strong and bulky two legged being, but instead of features and body parts it was completely black and without a face at all. It rested its palm over Cole's forehead and absorbed energy from the young man which seemed to make it stronger and Cole weaker.   
  
Cole stared in horror at the figure because the longer he would drain energy from him, the more of Cole's features it would get. First it received Cole's dark blonde hair, then his blue eyes, and his skin tone. Now it looked like him, only without his uniform and muscles which terrified him. It now spoke to him with Cole's voice, taking his hand from his forehead.  
  
It kept mumbling words in a language Cole did not recognize at all, but he didn't mind. He was now only gripped by the creatures Neon green rope at the neck, but the longer it talked the more Cole quietly reached for his scepter which was only centimeters away from the full extension of Cole's arms. He wanted his friends to come to his rescue ,desperately ,now.   
  
The creature remained to talk in whatever language it was speaking, assuming Cole could understand him, but not looking directly at him, rather somewhat above him. Cole could tell it was not used to having eyes…  
  
He managed to reach his scepter by the skin of his teeth and sent a powerful blast at his look-alike's face which broke the green chain with ease. Cole grabbed at his throat which had a dark red line that the tight chain gave to him. He glared infused with fury and resentment at the being while he charged up energy in his palm.   
  
"SATURN NUCLEAR---ARMAGE-----"  
  
  
  
Cole immediately stopped his attack when he saw what the mysterious creature held by the neck. It was a civilian which seemed somewhat familiar, but Cole could not remember. He tried reasoning with it. "Please, put that civilian down. He is defenseless, you want to carry out your fight with me. Not him."  
  
With most beasts Cole had faced before, his plea would usually work, but this creature seemed relentless and refused to give in to him. It was absorbing the man's energy and began to take on some of HIS features. It looked very ferocious and serious now that it had a full and complete human head. It uttered its first human word Cole ever heard it say yet.  
  
It said. "No."  
  
Cole had a piecing sensation through his temples and almost in slow motion he saw the civilian the creature held crushed in its grip. Its head and organs spattered all over the highway. Cole yelled in horror, red in the face and hoarse.   
  
The last thing he remembered seeing was the man's head. He suddenly realized who it was and vomited uncontrollably at its identity. It was Matt's father. 


	3. Chapter 3: Sirix the Destroyer

"YOU BASTARD!", Cole roared with all of his might. Tears streamed down his face, his knees on the ground. "HE WAS INNOCENT! HE WAS NO GOOD TO YOU! YOU WILL PAY!"  
  
"I will not.", the creature responded slowly. He still was not used to the English language.  
  
Cole stared up at it, his eyes red and extremely irritated; he couldn't look at the ground anymore, he couldn't bare to see Matt's father slain and mutilated under his boots. It was enough that his uniform was covered in the man's blood and his face was covered with his own. He stood erect with his right arm directly toward the orange sky, a large red, Saturn-shaped ball forming in his palm.  
  
"I hate you." , Cole sneered, the blood on his lip gleaming in the orange sunlight. "SATURN!"  
  
"You are very funny." the creature said smiling with Cole's dimples and glaring with the beheaded man's brown eyes.  
  
"NUCLEAR!"  
  
The orange sky now turned black and a red aura shined over Cole.  
  
"ARMAGED----"  
  
The black bodied figure glided furiously towards Cole and charged his razor edged hand into Cole's chest. The energy on his palm disappeared when Cole shifted his palm from the air to his chest. He bled uncontrollably and fell to the ground.  
  
"You were foolish and careless, boy." The black being said triumphantly "Anger blinded your human self."   
  
"INGNORANCE WILL DESTROY YOUR FREAK SELF!" Cole shot at him with every ounce of energy he had left. He lifted his fist and swung at its face.   
  
The black creature grabbed Cole's arm with ease. "We will see." He began to absorb Cole's energy once more and Cole gave a piercing yell of pain. His uniform faded away and he began to grow very pale as the creature was now almost an exact copy of the young boy with only brown eyes that he absorbed from Matt's father as the only flaw.   
  
"I feel your energy, human." the Cole look alike said, moving his fingers and head. "AND I LIKE IT!"   
  
"Who are you?" Cole whispered half-consciously.  
  
The brown eyed Cole kicked the original away from him. "You ask my identity, fool? I am Sirix, eternal servant to the Lords of the Dark Star."  
  
Cole could not listen to him anymore, he was severely unconscious and blood deprived. Sirix only seemed more pleased.   
  
"My job is done then.", Sirix said victoriously and now looking at his torn and blood soaked attire. He snapped his fingers and a long black robe covered his slim body and hooded everything but his brown eyes. Sirix began to walk away when he remembered what he had come for. He bent over Cole's silent corpse and reached for his scepter that was clutched in his hands.  
  
"Not so fast.", a deep voice shot out from behind Sirix.  
  
The voice belonged to Venus who aimed his scepter threateningly at the robed beings forehead.   
  
"We are the Sailor Soldiers! We stand for justice and peace and triumph over evil! And that means you!" Venus continued. "VENUS IMPERIAL CRUSH!"   
  
Thousands of tiny chains ejected from Venus' scepter and wrapped around Sirix who seemed slightly amused.   
  
"JUPITER LIGHTNING SMASH!", Drake roared that sent a cylindrical dome of lightning over their robed foe.   
  
"MARS CRIMSON ANNIALATION!" Matt followed which caused a dragon shaped flame to spin over the thunder.   
  
"MERCURY!", Venus snapped at his companion "Hurry up and do something!"  
  
Mercury quivered but quickly managed an ice blue sphere in his palm. "MERCURY ICE STORM FREEZE!"  
  
The dragon roared madly while wrapping its serpent like body around the cylindrical lightning when the ice storm froze it in its place and the entire set of attacks stood frozen solid over its hidden target.  
  
Venus and the others waited in awkward anticipation as they stared up at there magnificent creation. It was a bold and majestic scene. A beautiful round cylinder covered with an angry storm of flames with a grand and vicious fire dragon wrapped around the outside; its mouth ajar with a malicious gleam in its fiery eyes, and the entire thing covered with ice which made it look a gigantic statue, frosted and glorious.   
  
Venus tried to hold back his smiles but finally gave in. "We did it you guys!!" he urged over enthusiastically to the soldiers. "We defeated him! The Sailor Soldiers haven't lost it quite---"  
  
He suddenly stopped his sentence. He realized the Soldiers hadn't heard a word he had said. They were too busy trying to help their fallen leader who lay on the ground pale and on the verge of death. Venus also rushed over to his team with his smiles weary…and about faded.   
  
"He does not look too good.", Andrew spoke after deep thought and observation "He is breathing very lightly and apparently he de-transformed while we were away."  
  
Venus suddenly realized that Cole was not in his uniform now that Andrew brought it up. "But he will be fine…won't he?"  
  
"HE IS UNCONSCOUS! WHAT DO YOU THINK!?" Mars shot at David who turned his head away.  
  
"Then we have to send him to the hospital, pronto." Drake said, trying to boost the team morale.  
  
Matt apparently was not finished with his sarcastic binge quite yet. He arose from his fallen friends side and pushed Drake up to his eye level. "You know what, Drake?", Mars started quietly and calmly "You are so right. Why didn't we think of this before? You guys!? Why didn't we think of this before!?" He voice rose uncomfortably loud and cold hearted "OH YEAH!", he giggled evilly "Now I remember. Maybe it had something to do with the fact….and I am just thinking out loud ya know….maybe it has something to do with the fact that ONCE THESE ATTACKS STARTED MAYBE EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE DAMN TOWN LEFT SO THEIR HEADS WOULDN'T BE TORN OFF BY THAT ROBED LOSER IN THAT GIANT ICE CUBE, DRAKE!" Matt was now pushing drake towards the end of the highway and everyone held Matt away and urged him to stop at once. "MAYBE THAT IS WHY WE DIDN'T THINK OF THAT DRAKE!! MAYBE THAT IS WHY MY BEST FRIEND IS LYING ON A DIRTY HIGHWAY INCHES FROM DEATH!"  
  
David reluctantly lifted up his fist and punched Mars roughly onto the ground, who was now broken in tears. "I am sorry I had to do that Matt, I really am, but ganging up on our teammates is NOT helping anything. We must find a hospital that hasn't been evacu---"  
  
"That wont be necessary.", a low and weak voice grumbled.  
  
"COLE!" Andrew yelled with glee as he and the others ran to their friend. "HOW---WH--What---How is it possible you are conscious right now?!"  
  
"That thing knocked me out…He hit me pretty hard in the head." Cole said glumly with his hand rubbing his forehead.  
  
"I'm sorry to break up this little happy parade.", Matt said, rising from the ground with a bruised cheek. "But Cole, why is there blood all over you?"  
  
A sudden jolt of panic hit Cole. What would he tell Matt since most of the blood on himself belonged to his friends father…he could try to work around telling him…maybe he could tell him tomorrow…'NO!', he thought to himself. He had to talk right now.  
  
Cole was to worried to notice he was shaking very roughly and he looked very pale and fatigued. "I…uh…Matt, I am so sorr"  
  
"Don't be an idiot Matt!", Drake shot at Mars fiercely. "That…ba--thing really thrashed Cole around. Of coarse he started bleeding. Who's blood else's blood might be on Cole!"  
  
"I'm sorry for being concerned!", Matt snapped  
  
Cole saw this as the perfect opportunity to tell them everything. How insignificant he felt after being humiliated by Sirix, how tired he felt, how scared he felt, but nothing could come out. His mouth was frozen shut. All he could do was tremble in his stance as he let tears fall from his eyes unknowingly. It was his responsibility as leader to tell him though. They needed to know they were all in grave danger and blood had just been shed mere minutes ago. He could open his mouth now.  
  
But no words would come out, just funny and incomprehensible sounds-babble. He noticed the frozen ice structure in front of him, he wanted soo bad to know if Sirix was in there. Maybe then he would be able to speak every single word he wanted to say right now, he had never hated so much before.  
  
"Is he in there.", he managed to mumble in a sort of whisper.  
  
"Yes." Andrew said casually. Cole was glad he knew who 'he' was, he really didn't want to talk.  
  
His thoughts were confirmed. With all of his strength he grabbed his scepter from the ground and marched towards the frozen statue.   
  
"SATURN STARLIGHT POWER!!", Cole said with all of his heart and strength back in him. His torn and bloodstained clothes were immediately replaced by his uniform which was in equal condition.  
  
"What the heck are you doing!?", panicked Venus while he and the others ran to Saturn "You aren't at full strength yet!"  
  
"Quit trying to be a hero!" urged Mars who clutched Cole's elbow only to be shoved away by his shoulder.   
  
Saturn stared straight up at the statue and ,without thought, made the v-shaped headpiece over his forehead glow a bright white color. "SATURN LIGHTBEAM CRUSH!" he echoed as the light on his headpiece sent a horrific ray of blinding energy at the statue. Millions of tiny shards of ice flew everywhere and a pale blue mist stood in front of Saturn's cold eyes.  
  
The entire highway was flooded with icy water from the thawed ice and Cole waited in anticipation to see what stood in the center of the fallen monument.   
  
  
  
He felt something or someone telling him to back away, and he could hear the screams of his teammates coming from behind him, yet he didn't move. He felt a deep coldness over his throat, but the mist in front of his eyes prevented him from getting a clear image. He could see something now…it was the girl he had loved before he even liked girls, Christie, but it seemed so strange, he was seeing from another perspective, not his own. He could see himself approaching her as she lunged into his arms and kissed him heavily. He felt very warm and fuzzy now.  
  
He thoughts then scattered while a voice that sounded like Matt's spoke and a flurry of flames zoomed inches past his right side and struck something in front of him. Then it hit Cole. He was convinced they had struck Christie and turned around to face Matt.  
  
"You are jealous aren't you!?", Cole roared at his Mars. "You wanted to take her away from me didn't you?! Well it WONT WORK!"  
  
"What the heck are you talking about?!", Matt asked furious to such a preposterous accusation. "Who is Christie?"  
  
"You know who she you slimy bastard." Cole put his palm to Matt. "You must die. SATURN NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON!"   
  
Saturn's energy blast launched from his palm and towards Matt at lightning speed. Cole's pupils were eerily dilated.  
  
"VENUS CRESCENT RAY----FIRE!", David yelled as he sent a beam of his own to counter Cole's. They collided and exploded before it could hit Matt. "What are you doing! Christie is not here!"  
  
"YOU LIAR!", Cole yelled forcefully. His voice did not sound like his own. Now the back of his throat felt unbearably cold and he could feel the shockwaves of his teammates attacks, hitting near the source. Cole was roughly turned around to face what was clutching his neck. It was Sirix, except his stolen features had faded and replaced with a hideous pale and distorted face with purple veins throbbing on its bald head.  
  
Cole had always wondered what it was like to be killed, but now he didn't have to, he was staring into the eyes of his killer. 


	4. Chapter 4: To the Death

Sirix pressed at Saturn's throat with his clenched hand, he could tell he was furious with the Soldiers attack on him. Mars shook off his look of shock and then glared at the hideous being clutching his friend by the throat as he charged up bright flames in his hand.  
  
"Don't even think about it.", Sirix said without emotion "You try to fire that thing at me and I will take your friend down with me."  
  
"4 Soldiers are better than none.", Mars sneered coldly.  
  
"MATT!", Venus gasped in horror.   
  
"Now I will make you a deal ,Soldiers.", Sirix said, pressing his thumbs against Saturn who seemed lost in some daze. "I will give you the boy…but you will give me your scepters." Matt glared at him. "First."  
  
"What is this fascination between you and these scepters?", Demanded Jupiter, holding his puzzled "We saw you trying to steal Col---Saturn's."  
  
"My lords demand them." Sirix answered softly "If I were them I would want your heads." He grinned at Matt particularly. "Now decide quickly. Surrender them now…or I will take away everything that ever meant anything to you."  
  
"Is that a threat!?" Mars said with his flame even larger than before.   
  
"No", Sirix grinned "It is a promise."  
  
"Matt, lets just give them to him.", Venus whispered "I would rather lose our scepters than our leader."  
  
Saturn's daze began to fade away and he could barely see Venus putting his orange wand softly on the ground in front of Sirix. "David! Don't give them to him! Attack while he has one hand occupied!!", Saturn demanded with all of his strength, Sirix stared uncomfortably.  
  
David shook the doubt off of his face. "NO! I cant let you die, Cole." He started to hand his scepter to Sirix but a powerful and bright ball of energy hit Sirix in the back of his head and caused him to let Saturn fall from his grip. The soldiers grabbed Saturn and his scepter and looked in back of the fallen Sirix. It was Sailor Uranus.  
  
Sirix looked furiously over his shoulder to see a large and muscular young man standing poised and regal behind him. He was very tall and had dirty and untamed blonde hair with a vicious cold stare in his brown eyes. He spoke with a deep and powerful voice. "I am Sailor Uranus , but you can call me your destroyer."  
  
Sirix glared at the young male with more anger and fury than ever before and ruthlessly shot hundreds of tiny fireballs at Uranus who dodged them easily. The soldier then leaped forward and swiftly blasted him back with another powerful blast.   
  
"Had enough?" Uranus grinned with his foot pressed over Sirix's chest. The soldiers watched in awe but all gasped at once as Sirix grabbed Uranus by the leg and swung him like a rag doll across the tar.   
  
Uranus broke his fall with a sword he unsheathed from his backside. He ran towards the creature in black and swung his sword directly over Sirix's head, slicing him in half.   
  
Miraculously, Sirix combined himself together again and ejected many chains from his palm that grasped roughly at Uranus who broke them into tiny pieces with his pure strength.   
  
The other soldiers gathered around in a small circle with the exception of Saturn who sat on the ground with his hand massaging his red and irritated neck. Venus had a look of true courage and spirit in his eyes. "Soldiers, Uranus cannot fight alone, so we must help him and give everything we have.", Venus saw Saturn in the back of his eye and spoke directly to Mercury "Andrew, take Saturn to a secluded area and monitor him."  
  
"Wait just a second!", Saturn arose in protest " You have no idea what Sirix is capable of! I was nearly killed while he was just playing around! The whole team must fight, not just the healthy and strong!", Saturn said with all of his strength while he made a slight notion to Mercury. "Now who is with me?"  
  
The remaining 3 soldiers looked totally split in thought as they tried to decide on who to listen to. Mars was the first one to move. He walked slowly and almost reluctantly towards Saturn and stood by his side and one by one Mercury and Jupiter did the same while Venus scowled in his mind.   
  
"Fine, Saturn.", Venus shot and said softly to himself "But you better know what you are doing."  
  
"I have a large cut on my chest, but I will be fine.", Saturn coolly swung his hair to the side "Now Sirix is very vulnerable to surprise…so that is exactly what we will give him. I say we do a Starlight Primal Formation."   
  
"But that takes time, time which we don't have right now!", Venus defied.  
  
"Uranus is doing fine on the battle field right now. He will give us the time. I know what I am doing." Saturn responded patiently as he raised his long and golden scepter into the air. "Now cooperate!"  
  
The soldiers aligned horizontally behind Saturn and also raised their scepters high.  
  
"Jupiter Starlight Power!", Jupiter cried, sending a bolt of lightning into Saturn's staff.  
  
"Mars Starlight Power!", a flurry of flames brought themselves into the staff as well.  
  
"Mercury Starlight Power!". Gusts of wind and a smooth stream of water was absorbed into the scepter.  
  
Venus reluctantly and unenthusiastically raised his wand and sent a bright and magnificent ray of orange light into the staff.   
  
"OKAY! I have the energy! Now all of you hold on to my staff!!", Saturn yelled as gusts of wind made its loud roar and pushed itself against the soldiers who did as their leader told them. Saturn aimed his the glowing rod at Sirix who now grabbed Uranus at site of their formation.  
  
"He saw us!" Mercury yelled to Saturn who looked worried.   
  
Sirix glared at Saturn and started to absorb Uranus' life-force out of his forehead.   
  
"What is he doing!" Mars demanded while the wind made him shut his eyes hastily.  
  
Sirix began to glow a deep gray around him while his body seemed to configure itself into an exact copy of Uranus. Sirix ripped his robe off to reveal a precise duplicate of Uranus' uniform as well.   
  
"Stop your games, Sirix!", Saturn roared loudly over the heavy winds while his staff still glowed its bright and sharp colors. "I will fire this!"  
  
"WHAT!? There are two Uranus'!?", panicked Jupiter. "Which one is the real one!"  
  
Sirix, overhearing Jupiter' question yelled, "That's for me to know! And you to find out!" Sirix projected a bright ray of light out of his finger which temporarily blinded all of the Soldiers. When they regained their vision they could see both Uranus' tied up in many chains with a large guillotine hanging over each one.   
  
"STOP THIS!", Venus yelled.  
  
One of the Uranus' spoke with blood on his uniform and his face weakly pointing towards the ground. "Cole, believe me, I am the real Uranus! Can't you tell!" he was on the verge of tears. "Its really me! George Baxter! Your friend!"  
  
"NO! He is lying!", the other Uranus yelled until his face was crimson. "I'm George! We went to the same middle school, Cole! I'm 2 years older than you!"  
  
Saturn stood with his hands trembling heavily with the staff still held by both. He motioned the staff to the left--but then to the right---and then in the middle. He had no clue who was the real Uranus.  
  
"I know all of your names!" Shot the first Uranus. "Matt is Mars. Drake is Jupiter. David is Venus. Andrew is Mercury. And you are Saturn!"  
  
  
"HE PROBED THAT INFORMATION OUT OF ME!", The second one insisted.  
  
"You are a filthy liar! Cole will know which one of us is which!", the first one snapped back "Hurry and fire that ray at him!"  
  
Saturn looked back at his teammates. They were as clueless as he.   
  
"Fire the ray at him!", the second Uranus said, tilting his head towards the first one. "Don't believe a word he says!"   
  
Saturn felt a strange cold sensation on his neck again. It may be the wind in his eyes…but it really seemed as if the second Uranus started to form back into Sirix. His ability to transform into people must have a time limit!!, Cole thought to himself. He felt so happy, he knew who was the fake now.  
  
"COLE! HE IS TRANSFORMING BACK! FIRE!", Mars cried  
  
Confidently, Saturn clutched the staff tightly and released a thin but extremely powerful multicolored ray at the second Uranus which was so forceful it entered through his chest and exited out of his back. A thick waterfall of blood gushed loudly out of him and began to stream on the tar highway.  
  
"YES! We did it!! WOO HOO! HE IS TERMINATED!", Saturn jumped with glee, waiting to see 4 happy faces in back of him. He turned around and instead saw 4 looks of horror. Jupiter threw his scepter on the ground so he could keel over and vomit all over the ground as the remaining three stared at him as if Saturn was a murderer.  
  
"What the heck is the matter with all of you? Sirix is dead! Aren't you happy?", Saturn looked over his shoulder and there was no longer a Uranus on the left anymore, but in-fact Sirix.   
  
  
  
"Where is Uranus!" Saturn demanded, in denial of what he just saw.  
  
"Why you killed him of coarse." Sirix said calmly. He had regained his hideous face but looked awkward in a Sailor uniform.  
  
"YOU ARE LYING!" Saturn said, falling on his knees and bursting into tears. "I SAW IT WITH MY OWN TWO EYES DAMMIT! THE SECOND URANUS TRANSFORMED BACK INTO YOU! I SAW IT! I REALLY SAW IT! DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME!"   
  
Saturn looked desperately to his friends to get support, but instead he saw them ganged up around him, each with their scepters pointing threateningly at him. 


	5. Chapter 5: The End of Sirix

Saturn gave a glare of both anger and disbelief. His own teammates were ganged around him, each with their scepters aiming at his throat. In a way Saturn felt backstabbed, but now he felt so alone. Uranus was the second one to die--one of their own, one of their best---dead. And to top it off, Saturn was his murderer…but it truly was an accident. He wanted to just scream at the top of his lungs that he was telling the truth because he was, he really did see the second Uranus transform back into Sirix, so naturally he would destroy that one, but in a sick irony, he was wrong.  
  
Saturn woke up from his thoughts and was not surprised he was still in tears. He had been horrified by what he had done, and he kept seeing that horrific beam go through his teammates chest and the flurry of blood that gushed from his afterwards. Then the look of horror and fear his own friends gave him when he turned back to them.   
  
The other soldiers seemed to be stiff and emotionless while Sirix on the other hand watched evilly. He was still hanging from his chains, yet he had made the guillotine ,that was once above him, disappear. Saturn was sure he let it fall on Uranus' dead corpse, but he refused to allow himself to look. It wasn't that Sirix couldn't get his restraints off, but rather he didn't want to miss a second of what Saturn's fate would be. Saturn just wanted to hear his friends talk to him, he wanted to know what they thought, they had said nothing to him after Uranus' death. Venus made his wish come true.   
  
"You are a disgusting human being, Cole.". Venus grumbled out loud. Saturn was sure Venus had wanted to say that even before they met Sirix, but at least someone had spoken to him. "Your entire leadership of the Starlight Soldiers has been quite controversial, I personally never liked you , but you seemed decent, although a lacking and sorry excuse for a leader.", unlike before, Venus' words seemed to be piercing to Saturn now. "But you have crossed the line, you have killed one of our own and now I think your life should be the price for your evil deed."  
  
"You are blaming the wrong person!", Saturn snapped. He never planned on talking during this speech, but Venus had hurt him more than words could describe. "YOUR MURDERER IS RIGHT THERE!", he madly pointed to Sirix who seemed quite amused.   
  
"Don't blame him. We saw you kill Uranus. You are a filthy liar.", Venus sneered. He looked to Mars and Jupiter. "You two make sure Sirix does not escape.", they reluctantly did as told. Mars seemed to give Saturn a sympathetic look, he seemed to believe him, but Saturn only saw this in the corner of his eye.  
  
Mars and Jupiter aimed their scepters at Sirix, but he did not seem to care and did not fight. He was very eager to find out what Venus would do next.  
  
"I AM TELLING YOU! I DID NOT KILL URANUS ON PURPOSE!" Saturn unknowingly was washing the blood on his face away with tears.   
  
"You are in no position to say that. Do the words 'Pluto' and 'Neptune' mean anything to you?" Saturn looked away shamefully and spoke with his head facing the ground.   
  
"That was an accident! Uranus was there, he knew that was just an accident!", Saturn wanted so badly for this all to be a dream.  
  
"AND LOOK WHERE URANUS IS NOW! HE IS DEAD!" Venus roared. Mercury flinched. "Sirix was transforming back right in front of your eyes---"  
  
"EXACTLY!" Saturn interrupted rudely "Sirix was transforming back! I saw it! The one on the left transformed back into Sirix! SO OF COARSE I WOULD KILL THAT ONE! IT WASN'T UNTIL AFTERWARDS THAT I SAW SIRIX ON THE RIGHT! EVEN BEFORE THAT I HEARD MARS! HE SAID RIGHT BEFORE I FIRED THE BLAST TO HURRY BECAUSE HE WAS TRANSFORMING BACK!"  
  
"And he was right!" Venus shot. "He was transforming back! The one on the right!"  
  
"But I saw the one on the left transform!" Saturn replied fiercely.  
  
"So what are you trying to say!? Your eyeballs switched sockets?!"   
  
"I'm saying that Sirix must have made another illusion! Just like with Christie!"   
  
"That's enough!", Venus yelled. "Its time for you to pay for what you have done. You are a threat to all of us!" Venus pointed his scepter at Saturn and began to charge a violent charge of orange light on this tip of it. "VENUS CRESCENT BEA---"  
  
"STOP!", Saturn yelled with all of his strength. "Who do you think I am now! Its like suddenly I am a whole different person. I know this looks suspicious, but you guys are my friends! You have to believe me!" Saturn reached for his scepter and held it up.  
  
"Drop it, Collingsworth!", Venus growled.  
  
Saturn began to glow and caused himself to de-transform back into his bloodied clothes. It seemed foolish to do so, his uniform was his only shield against an attack from Venus, but he rose nevertheless, and gently made Venus point his scepter towards the ground. Cole stared directly into his friend's blue eyes.   
  
"Look at me." Cole said to everybody. "I am Cole Collingsworth. I am the same person you knew two days ago, the same guy who has been there for you for years. I haven't changed! We are here to represent justice, and triumph over evil. Not to kill each other. What happened to Uranus is tragic, I cant take it back, but I am telling you, I didn't know. It was a total accident, but now you guys are making me into a murderer. I AM SO SORRY! I feel sorry and bad for what happened, but I refuse to say that I meant to kill him! Believe me!"  
  
Venus seemed stunned by his words, but their effect started to wear off for him. He clutched his scepter and used it to smack Cole with it as he fell to the ground. "You are a murderer! I can't believe you! VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMA---"  
  
"STOP!", a different voice yelled. Surprisingly, it belonged to Mercury. "We cannot let you kill him!" Mercury quivered as Mars and Jupiter joined him at his side, threatening Venus to drop his staff with their own.   
  
Venus reluctantly dropped it and seemed more shocked than angry. Cole had never been so relieved in his life.  
  
"He is right. Saturn is our friend and we have to believe him!", Mercury said to Venus firmly. "I know in my heart that he is telling the truth and I cannot let you hurt him!"   
  
Sirix gave a distasteful look and began to make the chains around him dissolve into many grains of sand…  
  
Venus put his head towards the tar road and grumbled something incomprehensible while the others ran to Cole and helped him up.   
  
"We are so sorry, Cole! Can you ever forgive us?", Mars asked  
  
"Of coarse! You guys have and always will be my best friends.", Cole smiled. "Now its time to destroy Sirix!"  
  
"But where is he?", Mercury asked, pointing to the none-existent chains that once held Sirix.  
  
Suddenly all of the Soldiers got chills down their spines. They could feel Sirix's presence.   
  
"You humans make me sick.", Sirix said, walking calmly towards the group. He was still in his Soldier uniform. "You are all absolutely hopeless…but now its time to die."  
  
"You wish!", cried Mars. "MARS CELESTIAL-----FIRE!"   
  
Thousands of flames appeared from nowhere and absorbed themselves into Sirix. Mars jumped up as high as he could, and with his scepter in his hands, lunged it into Sirix's skull.  
  
Mars jumped away from Sirix as he began to transform into a duplicate of Matt, except with Uranus' kaki uniform.   
  
Distracted and confused, Sirix began to look around while Mercury and Jupiter also rushed towards him and pierced their scepters into him.   
  
'WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?", Sirix roared as he started to swell with a clash of different hair colors and shapes and eye colors.   
  
"THIS!", Cole growled, lunging his and Venus' staves into Sirix's eyes which caused him to send a powerful roar of pain.  
  
All five young men watched eagerly to see the extreme effects of what they had done.   
  
"You wanted our scepters!?", Cole chuckled "Well now you have them!"   
  
He joined hands with the other boys and Venus, ironically, took Cole's. Everyone began to glow a bright color corresponding to their staves.   
  
"STOP THIS NOW!!", Sirix was starting to melt and his flesh began to bubble madly as his entire body became liquid-like.   
  
"SAILOR------", The soldiers chanted in unison. Sirix was starting to change briefly into everything he had ever taken form of, including Matt's father, but nobody seemed to notice.  
  
"SATURN IS A KILLER! KILL HIM!", Sirix yelled desperately  
  
"PLANET-----", The soldiers continued. The staves inside of Sirix began to burn and glow.  
  
"NO!! STOP THIS PAIN YOU IDIOTS! STOP IT! MUKINTA BAKUDI MIORTHA!". Sirix was beginning to forget the English language.  
  
"----ATTACK!"  
  
  
  
Sirix managed to grin slightly a split second before the explosion from the scepters blew him into millions of pieces.   
  
Suddenly a strong piercing sensation and an image of Matt's father being brutally beheaded flashed into the minds of the young males. Everything was silent now. 


	6. Chapter 6: Old Nightmare, Real Horror

Chapter 6: Old Nightmares, Real Horror.  
  
Cole breathed heavily, he had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. It was completely dark around him and the only comfort he had was the blood curdling screams echoing from all around him, he considered this a comfort because this fear and horror made him forget about his own. The moon seemed to have turned purple, giving off a subtle but still radiant glow to all of the horror and havoc in its sight.   
  
Cole was not in its sight, but rather in the dark and it took the breath right out of him. He knew where he was now, he was at the Aquatic and Marine Studies Cathedral. In the daylight it was a beautiful building, stationed in the center of a cool and mysterious ocean, right outside of Tokyo. One could only get there by boat or helicopter, so it was basically isolated and unknown to the general public. The building was so natural and untainted, it was a regal cylindrical building with a domed stain glass ceiling, to Cole it represented the peace and unity between nature and humans that he so badly wanted to be true and real.  
  
However, he was not there for pleasure, but rather business. Times were very hard at that point in time. Dr. Tomo was an evil scientist who used his creations to cause pain and destruction to the human race, and to eliminate the soldiers forever. Tomo needed the heart crystal of someone with purity and hope and in order to get it, he needed to extract the heart crystals of hundreds of humans all over Tokyo. Many died after they were assaulted, for without their heart crystals, it was as if they were living without a soul. The starlight soldiers managed to save some, and a lot more than Tomo hoped, but the mass deaths made the Soldiers uneasy and ashamed.   
  
All 5 of the solders had to station themselves in Japan, and had to lie in order to not be missed by their families. Tokyo was where the deaths were occurring, so that's where they needed to be. In Tokyo, however, the soldiers found themselves two new teammates who dedicated their lives to protecting Japan. They were Sailors Uranus and Neptune. Finally their rosters were complete, they had befriended Sailor Pluto several years before and although he never actually joined the Soldiers on their missions, he had a greater duty; to protect the realms of time. They were all close allies instead.   
  
Tomo announced a compromise, he wanted the heart crystal of one of the Soldiers in order for him to stop killing once and for all. Uranus volunteered for this job. As soon as he found out, Cole quickly transformed and rushed as fast as he could to the Cathedral to stop Uranus from ultimately taking his life.   
  
He opened the long and oversized ivory covered doors and ran towards the center. There he saw not only Uranus but 3 other soldiers there. Saturn looked in horror as to what was before him. Two of them were dead. Their blood was spattered all along the marble tiles as they laid on the ground cold and lifeless. Saturn recognized them as Neptune and Pluto. And standing above them was Mercury laughing in full amusement at their death while Uranus was tied to the wall, struggling to break his restraints. Mercury was dangling Neptune's and Pluto's heart crystals in his hand.   
  
However it was not the same Mercury that the soldiers had today, 4 years ago somebody else wore the navy blue uniform. His name was Anthony, or Tony to them. He was a very gloomy person, after his parents divorce while he just became a soldier, he found himself to be a sadistic and bitter person, but one way or another he managed to keep the other's trust and faith in him.  
  
Saturn could not believe his eyes, if he had entered several minutes earlier, he may have witnessed the deaths of 2 of his companions. He was not about to see a third. It was so hard to accept that someone he once called a friend was a traitor---a murderer. One thing that Cole hated about being a soldier was the lives you put at risk, and it was even more hard to accept one of your own to be dead. One thing was in his mind: he must save Uranus.   
  
Before he could be noticed, Saturn lunged at Tony and managed to swing him into one of the concrete walls.   
  
"What are you doing, Tony! How could you?", Saturn managed to say, a single tear streaming down his cheek.   
  
Mercury ignored his question, and with his very masculine and built body, he charged at Saturn and sent his fist at his face which caused him to fly backwards with a loud thud.   
  
"Saturn Ice-ring Crush!", Cole cried as thousands of ice blue rings wrapped around Mercury and squeezed at his skin.   
  
Tony dropped to his knees and used every ounce of strength in his body to send the rings flying into millions of tiny ice shards. Uranus seemed to be yelling for Saturn to break his chains, but Mercury seemed to pin Saturn away from his and punch him repeatedly.   
  
"Saturn Lightbeam Crush!" A large and magnificent ray of light surged from Cole's headpiece and caused Mercury to fall on his back in pain. Saturn managed to get up and sent a tiny laser out of his scepter to break Uranus' chains and set him free. He thanked Cole and then charged forcefully at Mercury and rammed his right elbow into him which caused him to remain still and motionless on the ground.   
  
Uranus seemed very tired and drained, he was breathing very heavily and without speaking pointed to two heart crystals lying motionlessly on the ground. Mercury must have dropped them.   
  
Saturn limped over with his left hand over his bloody lip and bent over to grab the crystals when he felt a piercing rush of pain go up his spine. He had been struck by a full force ice wave. Cole slowly tried to turn around, but in his weakness keeled over and fell. His entire uniform was damp and the pressure from the blast felt like it had made a bruise that covered his whole back. His ribs felt broken and he made no effort to move.   
  
His face was facing the floor and he didn't have the strength to move anymore. He could just hear more yelling. Uranus and Mercury were obviously fighting. First he heard Uranus send out his World shaking attack that felt like it had broken the floor and then he heard Mercury send out some powerful storm attack that made the glass ceiling above all of them shatter. He knew it had shattered because now he felt as if he had been cut by 80 knives at once and he knew he was bleeding heavily. Although half-conscious, he could still hear fighting and feel the shockwaves of their powerful blasts.   
  
He was so happy that Uranus was not down as he was, but he was also so confused as to what he had seen. He knew Dr. Tomo wanted the heart crystals, but why did Mercury need them, why did he betray them, and why did he murder Neptune and Pluto and attempt to kill Uranus…did one of them have the pure heart…Cole seemed to be drifting into unconsciousness.  
  
When Cole finally awoke he found himself very damp and cold…there was water on his face and under his nose…He stood and saw that the entire cathedral was flooding. The walls were shattered, the ceiling was gone and the entire building seemed as if it were on the verge of collapsing. Then his vision became a little better and he could hear again. Uranus was holding Mercury by the neck, they were both bloody, bruised, and almost entirely naked, the little uniform they had on seemed to be torn and scattered all over the ground in tiny shreds of blood soaked cloth.   
  
But Uranus particularly seemed to be crying like Cole had never seen him do before. His entire face was stiff and red. He threw Mercury away from him, he seemed to be entirely unconscious or dead and Uranus just held tiny dull shards in his hands. Cole was curious what they were but then he noticed he had somehow de-transformed and he realized he was now more confused than ever.   
  
Uranus approached Cole and spoke to him in a quiet and too sad for words tone. It seemed like he wanted to throw himself into the ocean or stay in the sinking building. "Cole…Mercury betrayed us."  
  
Cole was shocked at his words although he had figured that much on his own, it seemed so real and horrible now that Uranus confirmed all of his dark thoughts. Cole was shivering "Wh-what do you m-mean?"  
  
Uranus knew Cole had somewhat figured it out already, but continued talking anyway. "Mercury has been working for Dr. Tomo all of this time, there was not going to be any one Soldier compromise, he wanted us to come so he could have Mercury kill us all. Luckily only you came, or that may be true. He m-murdered", Uranus stopped for a second as if trying to believe himself about what he was saying "both of them…Pl-Pluto and Neptune, they had come to stop me from letting them take me too.   
  
"We met Mercury here, but a-all of the sudden he---he just went crazy and flashed this long gun and shot the---" Uranus stopped again and even more tears came to his eyes. "He jus-t s-shot the heart crystals right out of them! I ran, but he caught me and he tied me up so I could stay still…h-he wanted to kill me." Uranus stopped once again, he was starting to tremble so badly that it was hard for him to talk. "Then you came right in time and distracted him and released me…but then he tried to kill you too, when you bent over he started to use that gun on you…but I pushed him and you just got the discharge…you w-were knocked out, so we fought…he kept trying to steal my heart crystal…I tried to save the others…because I thought I could revive them…bu-but…he--he---blasted them away!" Uranus was now on the ground moaning and breathing loudly "Then I was so angry and blasted everything in my sight…and the entire building was ruined…its sinking."  
  
Cole was pale and cold as ice as he finished those words, he knew now that those shards Uranus clutched tightly were shards of Pluto and Neptune's heart crystals…  
  
"I-Is he…dead?"  
  
Uranus shamefully nodded his head, Cole did not want to know the details…he just wanted to leave…the Cathedral originally floated on the water, so it had no land foundation to lye on and continued to pour with water that was up to about 3 feet. He had a feeling that any moment now, the building would collapse and they would both die if they didn't do something…  
  
Cole looked back to find a way out, but he was no longer in the cathedral, he was on that dreaded highway again and all he could see was Uranus with his head facing the ground…hanging by two metal chains, with a large round hole in his chest and blood streaming down the tar road, he looked in horror at what was going on and saw that he was holding the scepter…just as he was when it happened….everything went black and Cole could hear voices now…He was terrified.  
  
"Cole, what happened here…where is Neptune…Cole…why are you and Uranus all bloody and bruised…what happened to the cathedral…Mercury is missing…Pluto is not at her base…we were so worried…"  
  
He could hear his own voice now. "Uranus is in a very fragile state…Tomo tried to kill him…Pluto and Neptune were killed in the battle, their heart crystals were crushed…I tried to stop the compromise…didn't want to worry you…Uranus was in danger…I was knocked out…Tomo blew up the Cathedral…Mercury was abducted…no clue where he is…Uranus is injured…I don't know what happened…"  
  
Now a flurry of voices went through his mind and filled the darkness in front of his eyes "You are a disgusting human being, Cole…I personally never liked you …a lacking and sorry excuse for a leader…We saw you kill Uranus. You are a filthy liar…words 'Pluto' and 'Neptune' mean anything to you?….Uranus was there, he knew…AND LOOK WHERE URANUS IS NOW! HE IS DEAD…time for you to pay for what you have done…a threat to all of us…You are a murderer…"  
  
In the middle of the blackness he could see the heads of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto…each rotting and decomposing. Cole wanted to scream…but he found himself underneath a shiny guillotine…It then rushed towards his neck--------  
  
  
  
"STOP IT! I DIDN'T KILL THEM!", Cole roared as he awoke in a cold sweat. His pajamas were wet and cool and Cole found himself safe on his bed…in his room…all alone, and safe. It was just a dream, a horrifying and terrible dream…a dream in which Cole had lived through…every skeleton in his closet had come to haunt him that night, every ounce of fear, pain, and sorrow. He felt as if he had just been hit by a train…his first night of peace ever since the Sirix attacks…and his deepest secrets still seemed to follow him. 


	7. Chapter 7: Radix and Maddox

Radix and Maddox  
  
When Cole woke up the next morning it was hard for him to concentrate and jump out of his bed happily as he usually did. He had a terrible nightmare and it was haunting him now.   
  
His shirt was damp and cool as he felt his chest with his fingers, he knew it was his cold sweat from before. All he could think about now was the tragedy from 4 years ago, how one of his teammates was a traitor and that nobody really knew it. He had never felt so guilty about the whole matter until now. He really never thought of what he did as wrong, he felt as if the others didn't need to know.   
  
Secretly Cole knew that if he had told them what had really happened at the cathedral, at heart maybe only Matt would believe him. And on top of that, he refused to ruin the memory of Mercury, the original one, because even if he was the traitor and monster that he was at heart, he was still a hero to all around him. Cole promised himself that day that the truth would be a secret between him and Uranus---A secret that they would take to the grave. Well one of the two boys already did that, but Cole was not sure he could do the same.   
  
As it was, Cole was already not on the best of terms with his teammates, especially Matt and David. Fortunately Cole was too caught up in everything that had happened the day before that he didn't really think too much of Venus right now. He felt betrayed as it was, and he didn't need to make trouble with him. Besides…David was just doing his job, protecting the others and doing the best for the team. Deep down under Cole's modest personality however, he knew that Venus could never replace him and could be quite a tyrant at times, but he could never think this out loud, even if he wanted to, it just wasn't in his school-boyish nature. He reassured himself that David was just doing his job…he just had to believe that…  
  
And Matt…Cole could not even think about him without letting out a tear…after Sirix released that image of his father being slain, he couldn't even look at Cole anymore, he just looked away from him as Cole tried to explain. He had just cleared himself of being responsible for Uranus' death…and now he had to do the same with Matt's father. He tried to stop Matt's father from dieing, he really did. He pleaded with Sirix, begged for his mercy, if he could have, he would have lunged at him, but he knew better than that, he knew that Sirix probably would have killed the man if he did that too. Cole let a tear roll down his cheek now, felt as if he didn't have a best friend anymore.   
  
As Cole stared out of his long and gold trimmed window in his bedroom and watched the morning sun rise up and light up the trees, he was so happy that he had his own apartment now; his parents would nearly go insane if they saw all of the bruises, cuts, and stab wounds he had. He wanted to make sure that they didn't see them until most of his injuries healed; his parents did not know he was a Soldier. He didn't even want to go to the academy today, he didn't feel like making up all of these lies and excuses on how he got so hurt, it made him sick when he lied and it was the hardest duty of being a Soldier…he thought it was a total shame that his teammates didn't know this.   
  
The Sirix attacks were finally over, and it cost them two lives. Before they had left that forsaken highway that horrible day, they had to make sure that Uranus was not in his Sailor Uniform, they wanted his body to be properly buried, and that his scepter was confiscated by one of them. Cole was that person and it made him want to vomit. The scepter was bloody and stained, but he had no energy to wash it off. He hardly even remembered coming home, it all seemed like a blur to him. He didn't even realize that he had changed his clothes and obviously taken a shower. His uniform and clothes were ruined so he probably burned them.   
  
They didn't even bother to look for Matt's father. Cole didn't exactly want to point it out at the time, but he was in many pieces, but luckily everyone assumed that and Matt just walked away silently. Although he was very sad, it wouldn't be even close to the impact it would have taken on him if his grandfather had died. They divorced before Matt was even born while his mother was pregnant and when she gave birth, she ended up dieing in the process. He hardly knew her and lived with her father, but his own came to visit him fairly often. Now after looking back at Matt's and Tony's lives, Cole was very grateful his parents were happily married. He even had a little sister at home, but after Cole got his own apartment, he hardly saw any of them, he refused to endanger them.  
  
Cole felt so disappointed with himself that he was missing school, but he reluctantly grabbed his remote control and turned the TV on to see a special news report flashing across the screen.  
  
"…Last night after it was declared safe to return back into the city after the mysterious explosions, Police regret to inform us that at least two people have been killed due to mysterious circumstances. One of the deaths was of 49 year old, Matthew Holloman, Senior, was found dead and identified by his son, on top of the main highway next to interstate 10 where much traffic was stopped and out of control after the explosions in the sky started and included one car which flipped off the highway and crashed near homes by the interstate. The man, not hurt, reported that the Sailor Soldiers came to his rescue and grabbed him out of the car before it could explode in flames. Police say that they will not reveal how Mr. Holloman died, but their police chief, Orlando York, says without a doubt he was murdered. The other of the two killed was 21 year old George Baxter, an exchange student from Tokyo Japan, was also found dead on the highway but Police did not release any further details. So the question is, who is responsible for the horrific explosions yesterday and is it the same person responsible for the tragic deaths of these two people? And what do the Sailor Soldiers have to do with this tragedy? Police ask them to come forward by----"  
  
Cole moodily shut his television off. He could not bear to hear any more of this, and it made him upset that Matt had to identify his own father who was probably in 30 pieces by the time he could do so. And now the whole city was probably doubting the Sailor Soldiers now, all five of them were in such a big mess and what made him even more angry is that Sirix is the one responsible and nobody will ever know it. He was assuming that Matt didn't go to school either, but he desperately hoped that the others did, or else it would be too suspicious. He put himself under his covers, put a pillow over his ears and head, and slept.  
  
  
  
When he awoke, his eyes were greeted by 3 of his companions who stood by his bedside. He didn't even bother to check who didn't show, he already knew it would be David. He wasn't surprised at all that his friends had come in his apartment, he had given them all keys just in case something like this happened. He was happy to see their faces…Although Matt still couldn't make full eye-contact with him…   
  
"So how was school you guys?", Cole asked awkwardly, he had more energy than he had before.  
  
"They cancelled it. A lot of people were afraid to come in fear of another attack." Andrew replied.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But that isn't why we are here." Drake said. "Its about yesterday."  
  
'Yeah?" Cole said, thinking what else could they possibly want from him  
  
  
  
"We wanted to say that we believe you. And don't let Venus' ignorance bring down your trust in us. I am pretty sure you understand that we ganged up on you because…you know, it sort of looked…well---"  
  
"I know what it looked like!", Cole snapped but then refrained and began again. "I really do understand. And I am assuming that Venus is still…"  
  
"Yes.", Andrew said. He knew what Cole was about to say. "He still thinks you are hiding something."  
  
"But I am not.", Cole said in a rude slowness. "Did you all see the news?"  
  
"Yeah, I cant believe that everyone thinks we are all of the sudden evil when we have always been there to save their ungrateful asses." Drake said angrily.  
  
"I know the feeling.", Cole mumbled, grinding his teeth.  
  
Matt had still not spoken a word yet. Cole was very worried about him.   
  
"Cole, we said we were so sorry.", Andrew responded, obviously hearing Cole's last comment.  
  
"Yeah, but--"  
  
Cole had to stop his sentence, all of the sudden he heard a loud beeping noise coming from his night stand. It was his communicator watch. He quickly grabbed it out of the drawer and answered.  
  
"Hello? This is Cole speaking. Over.", he said into the tiny speaker while everyone listened to the response on their own watches.  
  
"Soldiers, this is David. There have been more explosions near Cole's house. I think they are coming from the Sky Tower, we must go investigate who it is. Over."  
  
"Where are you at?", Andrew asked. "Over."  
  
"Right on Green Meadow, Cole's street. The tower is right around the corner, meet me in front of it and be in uniform." David replied "Over and Out"  
  
"We have to get right on this!" Cole cried, jumping out of bed and grabbing a miniature scepter off a chain around his neck. As it touched his hands it expanded into normal size. "Ready?!"  
  
"Right!", Jupiter and Mercury said in unison. Matt then joined in and grabbed his scepter unenthusiastic.  
  
"Jupiter!"  
  
"Mercury!"  
  
  
  
"Saturn!"  
  
"Mars."  
  
  
  
"Starlight Power!", they all said at once, appearing in fresh and new uniforms.   
  
Putting their hands together they managed to teleport themselves on Cole's front yard and ran at full speed towards the large and world known Sky Tower.   
  
It was a 90 story high long tower with large sphere room right on the top. It was completely Titanium and glowed against the suns rays. It was a beautiful tower and was a large tourist attraction.   
  
Like Venus had said, many explosions were occurring outside, even more powerful than the first sets. The Soldiers could feel the shockwaves surging through the ground after each large bang. Many people already seemed to be evacuated, some running through the streets screaming in fear. Sure enough, Venus was standing directly at the entrance of the tower like he said. They all met up.  
  
"What's going on?", Saturn asked. He felt very awkward talking to Venus, but he couldn't let that interfere with his duties.  
  
Venus took a second to respond, trying to refrain from glaring, but quickly said. "I don't exactly know, I think someone is firing off blasts from the roof of the tower. But I cant see anything from here."  
  
Mercury joined in the conversation "We have to go on the roof ourselves then. The explosions seem to be coming from there. If we don't hurry, many of the buildings and homes here can be easily destroyed."  
  
This made Cole very nervous. His family lived right around the tower.  
  
"Lets go then!", Saturn said. Rushing into the building carelessly.  
  
'Wait!!" yelled Jupiter "We should put on our masks, so that our faces are covered from gases and stuff."  
  
"Precisely." Mercury said.   
  
  
  
All 5 soldiers gently pushed in the tiny diamond on their V-shaped head pieces which triggered these special oxygen and fire resistant masks to form over their heads. They all then ran in the building.  
  
"Lets go up the stairs. The elevator is dangerous." , Venus stated. Cole was even more worried. Mars had still said nothing the whole time.  
  
They took the stairs, but it was very grueling to go up all of the steps and before they could make it to the 60th floor, they all were greeted by flames that came thundering from the higher levels. Mercury impulsively threw a waterfall of water and winds from his palms which devoured the fire, but made the steps very slippery and wet.   
  
"What was that all about!?", Jupiter yelled. Panicked by the unexpected flames.  
  
Mercury seemed very solemn. "I don't know. Either somebody sent those flames, or these explosions caused fire to something."  
  
"I don't think I can walk much further." Saturn gasped. He was totally red and out of breath.   
  
"Well I am tired of walking too!" Venus said, taking his scepter out of his belt "VENUS LOVECHAIN WRAP!" he cried while an almost limitless and thin orange chain rattled from his staff and went straight through the titanium ceiling until it seemed to have reached the very top. "Everyone, grab onto the chain, it will automatically move us up to the top."  
  
Everyone did so and without warning, Venus caused it to move up at lightning speed as the many different floors flashed by Saturn's eyes as the chain seemed to be pulling everyone to the top by itself through the large and over sized holes Venus made.  
  
They finally stopped. The Soldiers carefully let go of the chain and stepped onto the 90th floor. The chain quickly faded away. They had one more flight of stairs to walk up in order to reach the door that opened into the roof. They ran up the stairs as fast as they could, but Saturn could sense something not quite right.   
  
Immediately he felt a sharp pierce in his head and in a split second the last set of stairs melded into one slanted surface. The Soldiers yelled in fear while they all rolled down the ramp shape and back onto the room on the 90th floor. Without notice, the tower seemed to rattle and down the ramp came many heavy Titanium balls that rolled down quickly towards the soldiers as they backed against the window.  
  
Without thinking Saturn shot a huge and blinding ray out of his headpiece which melted them back into liquid form.   
  
"One thing is for sure." Saturn said coldly "Whatever is up there does not want us around."  
  
Venus stepped in front of Saturn. "Too bad they don't know that I have lost my patience! VENUS CRECENT BEAM SMASH!", he roared.  
  
A piercing blast shot from David's rod and broke a large hole in the ceiling that completely melted the titanium it hit. Venus released his chain again and they all climbed up to the roof. Cole had never realized how tall 90 stories was. He felt like he was on top of the world. He was terrified of falling.  
  
"It took you long enough to arrive.", a deep voice from behind spoke.  
  
The Soldiers looked on the other side of the large hole Venus made to see two human sized beings with black outfits that seemed very similar to the soldier uniforms. One seemed 6'5 with long arms, powerful muscles, and a blue skin tone. And the other seemed much smaller and younger. If he was human, he looked around the soldiers age. He still had powerful muscles but his eyes were red unlike the taller one who had violet eyes. He wielded a large sword that was about half the size of him. They seemed to have human faces and a human shape, its just that their blue skin tones and angry made them seem fierce and powerful warriors from another planet.  
  
"Who are you! And why are you terrorizing the city!", Saturn demanded  
  
"I will tell you who we are.", The larger one said. Unlike Sirix, his English was near perfect, with no accent at all. His voice was so deep however, it didn't seem real. "I am Maddox and this is my partner Radix. We are bounty warriors for the lords of the Dark Moon. We are your destroyers."  
  
  
  
"But why are you doing this to our city!?" Jupiter asked aggressively.  
  
This time Radix spoke. His voice was not quite as deep as Maddox's but just as powerful and demanding "What better way is there to lure our prey here?"  
  
"You want to fight, then fight with us!" Saturn said forcefully. "We stand for peace and justice and triumph over evil! And that means you!", he pointed  
  
"Yeah! We trampled you're little friend Sirix!" Jupiter said, joining in. "And you two will be two times as crushed!"  
  
"Sirix was a weakling.", Radix said emotionless. "We are bounty warriors, and we will destroy our targets."  
  
"Bring it!", Saturn sneered  
  
Maddox grinned maliciously and looked at the city park thousands of feet below him.   
  
  
  
"What are you doing?!" Saturn yelled  
  
Maddox sent a sphere blast that must have been 8 feet wide from his palm and into the park that was consumed by one fiery explosion that sent many houses stationed around it into ashes.   
  
"YOU MONSTER!", Saturn screeched as he jumped over the large hole on the roof and at Maddox's throat. The others quickly joined him but were sent jolting backwards from a blast Radix fired at them. Saturn and the others were furious and tearful. They had no idea what was going to happen to them.  
  
"SATURN NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON!" Saturn repeated which sent many Saturn shaped explosions at the two warriors.   
  
Radix grinned and hit them towards the ground with his sword like a baseball. Saturn's attacks went down quickly at houses and caused many to explode.   
  
"NOOO!", Saturn snarled in animalistic rage. One of the houses enveloped in one of the pre-nuclear explosions was his mothers. He had never felt such hate before in his life. Even as he saw Matt's father, defenseless in a foreign creatures arms, and being crushed into many pieces. He felt as if he no longer had security, and that it was the inevitable end of all of them. He needed to fight---he wanted to fight.  
  
He attempted to jump across again but was grabbed by Maddox and thrown back. The warrior's strength was unreal. The impact was so hard that Saturn made a dent in the roof.  
  
"This is a warning soldiers." Maddox said. "Hand your scepters to us tomorrow at midnight." Then he pointed at the hundreds of explosions enshrouding the city. "Or this will be a preview of the beginning."  
  
"WAIT A SECOND YOU BASTARDS!" Saturn yelled at the top of his lungs covered in tears of disbelief as Radix and Maddox disappeared in black smoke. "GET OVER HERE!" He wanted to kill them so badly. They probably killed at least 50 people in that attack. He was so angry, in a crimson rage that was very unfamiliar to him. He hated people dieing under his reign as leader of the Sailor Soldiers. He was determined destroy them as fast as he could.  
  
All of the sudden Cole could not hear himself anymore, above them were S.W.A.T team helicopters and they could hear someone yelling at them over a megaphone.  
  
"SAILOR SOLDIERS! YOU ARE CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF GEORGE BAXTER, THE MURDER AND MUTILATION MATTHEW HOLLOMAN, AND CONSPIRACY TO DESTROY THE CITY! DROP YOUR WEAPONS NOW!" The man spoke as the blades of the helicopters roared. 


	8. Chapter 8: The Escape

Chapter 8: The Escape  
  
"DROP YOUR WEAPONS NOW!", One of the men in the S.W.A.T helicopters demanded over a megaphone.  
  
"Over my dead body!" , Jupiter defied. The others just stared up at the 5 helicopters above them, unlike Jupiter they were speechless.  
  
"Jupiter, shut up!", Saturn urged. He didn't mean to sound so rude, but he didn't want to make trouble with the law. He stared up at the blinding lights from the helicopters again. "You don't understand! WE AREN'T THE BAD GUYS! IT'S A BIG MISUNDERSTANDING!", he yelled loud enough to speak over the roar made by the helicopters.  
  
"SAILOR SOLDIERS! YOU HAVE NOW BEEN RULED RESPONCIBLE FOR THE ATTACKS ON THE CITY! YOU ARE UNDER ARREST! DROP YOUR WEAPONS OR WE WILL HAVE TO USE FORCE!", a S.W.A.T officer yelled, clutching an intimidating looking laser gun in his arms.   
  
Jupiter looked infuriated now. His eyes were red and it seemed as if he was about to explode. "YOU IDIOTS! WE SAVE YOU'RE DAMN CITY EVERY FUCKING DAY OF THE YEAR, PUTTING ASIDE OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND YOUTH, AND NOW YOU ARE ACCUSING US OF DESTROYING IT! THAT'S BULL SHIT! YOU DROP YOUR FIRE, OR I WILL BLAST DOWN EVERY ONE OF YOUR DAMN HELICOPTERS!"  
  
"JUPTER!", Saturn snapped at Drake "What the heck are you doing! You are just going to make them angrier! If we talk to them like that, they will really think we DID do all of this."  
  
"He is right.", Venus growled softly, "But these cops can really be idiots sometimes."  
  
For some reason Cole suddenly thought about Matt again. His silence and lack of eye contact was really starting to take a toll on him.   
  
"YOU HAVE JUST THREATENED AN OFFICER OF THE LAW! I WILL NOT ASK YOU TO SURRENDER ANY LONGER!", the same S.W.A.T officer cried. "FIRE!"  
  
On direct command, each of the 5 officers charged their laser guns to full power and blasted a powerful ray towards the tower.  
  
The blasts had barely missed the Soldiers. It was obvious they were still trying to scare them. The blasts had seemed to shoot from the gun and with powerful ferocity, cracked through the titanium without any trouble.  
  
Saturn looked below the side of the tower and saw that almost the entire police squad in the city was down below. Their guns were also charged for fire.   
  
A few moments passed and without warning, the SWAT helicopters sent off full powered laser blasts at them. This time, they were precisely on aim.  
  
Saturn thought quickly on his feet and sent a light beam out of his gold headpiece that seemed to counter the blasts.  
  
"What do we do now!?", Mercury asked. He was more panicked than he had ever been before. It was probably because now the police squadron below them was now firing their weapons at the building.   
  
"We have to get out of here. They wont listen to reason.", Venus said. "Mercury, you know what you have to do."  
  
Andrew gulped but then charged a baby blue sphere in his hands. "MERCURY BUBBLE----BLAST!" Out of the sphere came millions of tiny blue bubbles that seemed to blue everything around them in a thick mist. This bought them a little time.  
  
"What do we do!? We have little time.", Venus asked.  
  
"Well," Saturn began, feeling his usefulness as leader surging back in him "We can't jump, so we have to teleport outta here."  
  
"BUT TO WHERE!?", Mercury screeched.  
  
Cole felt very sick. He was sure that his parent's house had been destroyed in the explosions. He just wished with all of his heart that they evacuated in time. He swallowed hard and said softly. "My apartment should do." The boys could hear more shots being fired from below and above. They knew that they must hurry. Saturn's heart sunk, he heard footsteps on the roof. One of the officers must have jumped down. "HURRY!"  
  
"SAILOR…", The Soldiers said in unison, causing their uniforms to glow "…PLANET…TRANSPORT"  
  
Normally in order to transport, all five soldiers must be in unison, thinking of only the destination they wished to go to. If even one of the Soldiers concentration was off, the transport would be unsuccessful and fail.   
  
Cole thought desperately about his apartment. Every detail…every image…everything. When he opened his eyes, he wanted to see him home so badly that it was as if he was already there…but then he could see Radix and Maddox, destroying their city, and possibly Cole's true home…then Matt, and his quiet appearance. He hadn't spoken a word to Cole since the Sirix attacks and it was slowly suffocating him, he wanted everything to be normal…just like it was 3 days…3 long and lonely days ago. He felt the warmth from all of the glowing fade away. Slowly, he opened his eyes… 


	9. Chapter 9: On the Run

Chapter 9: On the Run  
  
Cole was almost in tears when he opened his eyes. It was the same building. The transport must have failed, and it was even more probable that it was because of him. The mist seemed to be fading away faster each second. The footsteps on the roof became much louder and Cole's heart was beating in his ears.  
  
The others seemed to have opened their eyes too by now, each equally frightened and very aware of the footsteps.  
  
Jupiter seemed to be trembling slightly, "Cole…"  
  
"What!?", Saturn snapped. He was terrified.  
  
Jupiter seemed to refrain for a moment, but then continued. "I am sorry to disobey you, but I have to do this, to save all of us…"  
  
"Disobey? You haven't done anything wrong ye---", Saturn stopped suddenly.   
  
Jupiter sent thousands of lightning bolts down from the sky which caused the helicopters to come crashing down on the tower in mini explosions. Then he sent a large volt of electric energy at the hundreds of police below them. Cole was amazed at how they scattered like ants to avoid the lightning. Now the entire city was pouring with rain.  
  
"Yeah! That's the way to do it Jupiter!" Venus yelled. "VENUS GASTLY PARALYSIS--FIRE!", from Venus' palm came many waves that scattered throughout the roof. The SWAT team men that had crashed and fallen out of their helicopters was now on the ground, paralyzed and defenseless. They could also see the men that caused the footsteps; Snipers. This made Cole very uneasy.  
  
"I'm sorry too, Cole.", Mercury whispered as he stared at all of them in awe. "MERCURY AQUATIC SUBMERGE!". From nowhere the ground below the tower was flooded with water which caused the officers and their cars to float away from the building.  
  
Mars said nothing and just looked at the ground.   
  
"Now lets get out of here!", exclaimed Venus. "Everybody concentrate this time."  
  
Cole could have sworn that Venus made slight eye contact with him as he said that last sentence. But he shook the thought away and quickly joined hands with the others. Mars putting out his hand last.  
  
"SAILOR PLANET TRASPORT!", 4 of the soldiers said loudly. It was obvious who practically whispered his response. Cole once again thought about his apartment. Where they would be safe for the time being. He wanted to be there so badly that it made his stomach hurt at the thought of it. Their lives depended on it. He could feel the intensity from their body heat and could almost feel himself lifting off the ground.   
  
As the heat faded, Cole found it safe to open his eyes again. His gave a collective sigh of relief, he was really home. Every single detail he had pictured in his mind was finally real. His teammates in him had arrived safely. They quickly held out their scepters and de-transformed back into their normal clothes.   
  
"You guys, what you pulled out there was very risky and could have gotten us killed. You do know that, right?", Cole asked. He was trying to not scold them as hard as he could.   
  
"We are alive aren't we.", David sneered. "No thanks to Mr. Sad pants over here."  
  
"Lay off, David!", Cole snapped. He knew he was talking about Matt.   
  
David grinned sickly and said the words that would drive Cole mad "You are just guilty because you killed him…"  
  
Cole jumped over his bed and clutched David by the throat and pressing him against the wall. "DON'T YOU EVER AND I MEAN EVER! SAY THAT TO ME AGAIN!" He threw David onto the floor with a large thump.  
  
"See what I mean?", David asked the others "This is the Cole I am talking about. The two timing bastard who happens to be----"  
  
Andrew interrupted him rudely "Who happens to be our leader.", he snarled. "Now sit down and shut up."  
  
Taken aback by Andrew, David rose from the floor and sat on the bed quietly.  
  
  
  
"What are we going to do now? The entire Police department and SWAT team wants to kill us.", Drake asked.  
  
Cole stared blankly, "The police are the least of our worries. Our entire families are in danger. Are we going to meet Radix and Maddox tomorrow night?"  
  
"OF COARSE NOT!", Venus detested, shattering his silence. "We will get killed otherwise!"  
  
"I didn't say we were, David.", Cole said tiredly. He just wanted to sleep. "They didn't say where to meet them, so I am sure that they will come to us."  
  
"Lets just face it! We have been outsmarted!" Drake yelled "We are at their mercy, lets just give them the stupid scepters."  
  
"Are you kidding!?", David gasped "You know that they will kill us the second we do that. I would rather fight to the death than to let the world be destroyed with no way for us to stop it!"  
  
"It's safe to assume that they are much stronger than us anyway! They whooped our asses before and probably killed at least 50 people right in front of our eyes!", Drake snapped right back at David.  
  
Ignoring the argument between Drake and David, Cole clicked on his TV with his remote to see live coverage at the sky tower.  
  
"…Today in a matter of almost an hour, tragedy has struck the city. The Sailor Soldiers have been confirmed by police to be deadly and dangerous. The soldiers allegedly assaulted police and caused not only heavy thunderstorms but also severe flooding which has caused injury to several officers. Here is some stunning new footage taken by our cameramen after the explosions started occurring for the second time this week.", Cole was stunned. There he was sending many blasts towards Radix and Maddox, but they could not be seen. It looked as if he was deliberately sending pre-nuclear blasts towards the park and the houses, he was infuriated. Why weren't they appearing on the news footage… "As one could clearly see, one of the Sailor Soldiers is sending a horrific explosion towards not only the city park, but also the surrounding houses. Police have not established a motive, but as fate might have it, the soldiers have disappeared somehow. They encourage viewers to report any sightings of them as soon as possible. Although they do not encourage evacuation, they do strongly suggest to be careful. The Sailor Soldiers are armed, and very dangerous..."  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!", Cole rose. "Radix and Maddox did not show up at all on that footage! IT LOOKED LIKE I WAS TRYING TO BLOW UP THE ENTIRE CITY!"   
  
"Don't get so stressed, Cole. Their skin must be made of something light reflective that doesn't show up on film.", Andrew said reassuringly "The town is obviously very confused right now…they will eventually come to their senses….Or at least we have to believe that for the time being."  
  
David rudely cut in the conversation "Oh shut up already! You are totally clueless aren't you? The town isn't going to come to their senses, we have been bad guys all these years as far as they are concerned, don't you get it yet?"  
  
"Shut up, David!", Cole snapped fiercely "He's right, they will realize who is on who's side."  
  
David slowly sat back down again.  
  
  
  
Drake seemed to glare at the pillow of Cole's that he was clutching to his chest, "That Radix and Maddox did a lot of damage and it just pisses me off that they get away with it and we get blamed! THAT JUST GETS ME SOOO ANGRY!"  
  
"We cant stay here, you guys.", Cole said quietly "Its only a matter of time before they find out who we are. And we cant put the city in danger either."  
  
"What are you trying to say, Cole?", Drake asked irritably "If we don't stay in the city, where else can we go?"  
  
"Well obviously some place where we can meet Radix and Maddox, maybe possibly fight them, where nobody can get hurt or see us.", Andrew replied softly.  
  
"I refuse to fight them! They are way too powerful for us!" David loudly objected.  
  
"Then hand over your scepter.", Cole snarled. David became silent.  
  
  
  
The boys continued to talk, but as the minutes progressed, it became harder and harder to pretend they weren't terrified of what the future held for them. Cole would find himself staring at Matt every few minutes or so. He didn't quite understand why he was so concerned, sure Matt was his best friend, but it was like an obsession, he needed to talk to him, the silent treatment was driving him mad…or was he mad to begin with and this pressure was making him sane…or was he sane, lost his sanity, and Matt was making him crack even more…he had to quit thinking. He had a headache already.  
  
  
  
"What about our parents? And what about yours Cole? Radix and Maddox destroyed the house in the attacks.", Andrew asked. Cole's head throbbed, he really didn't want to think about it.  
  
"I don't know. I just hope with all of my heart that they evacuated in time. I know the house was probably destroyed, and every other house near it, but maybe they left before it happened.", Cole replied with feigned optimism, there was no point of bringing down the team morale with his true feelings.  
  
Drake stepped off the bed and giving a loud yawn. "Well, I don't wanna be cooped up in here on an empty stomach. All this pressure sure gives me an appetite," he smiled lightly "How about I cook dinner, Cole?"  
  
Despite his tough and intimidating appearance, Drake was by far the most domestic of the entire team. He loved to cook and clean, it was his favorite hobbies and both, to everyone's liking, he was extremely good at.  
  
  
  
Cole grinned slightly as well "Sure, mom did my grocery shopping last week. There should be lots of stuff to cook in the kitchen."  
  
"Alright, I'll get started.", Drake happily said as he walked quickly and cheerfully to the kitchen.  
  
"Is it okay if I watch TV in the living room, Cole?", Andrew asked quietly. Cole was amazed at how close they could get to Andrew, but how shy she was all of the time.  
  
"Of coarse.", Cole smiled. Things seemed very normal for once.  
  
Andrew calmly walked out of the bedroom and downstairs to the living room.  
  
David quickly ran after him., "I got dibs on the recliner!"  
  
Cole chuckled quietly to himself and began to follow them when a voice stopped his movement. "Wait.", the voice belonged to Matt.  
  
Cole turned around and walked back to his where Matt sat. "What's up?", Cole asked awkwardly. He had no clue of what to say to him.  
  
"Just tell me something.", Matt muttered solemnly. Cole could hardly hear him. "Ho-How did he…How did he d-die."  
  
Cole's smile suddenly faded. "He who?" Matt's silence pierced through him like a knife. He couldn't play dumb with him. "Matt, you know its still kinda hard for me to say out loud."  
  
"And it is hard for me to hear. Tell me.", he urged. "I want to know."  
  
Cole started to quiver and tears began to form in his eyes. "Please, Matt. Don't make me do that."  
  
"Tell me.", he demanded.  
  
"I c-can't Matt. Its too hard for me to say it.", A single tear ran down his face.  
  
"Why cant you tell me.", Matt sneered. Cole had never seen him so serious and insisting before. "Did you kill him, Cole? Is that why you can't tell me?"  
  
"No, I didn't, Matt!", Cole whimpered "I swear to you! I did not do it! I swear on Uranus' grave. I did not kill him!"  
  
"Then you will tell me what happened.", Matt glared insensitively.   
  
Cole couldn't take it anymore, he broke down. To please his best friend he told and relived every single detail of his father's death. He could hear himself pleading desperately as he did that horrid day. Begging for the man's life and safety while Sirix held him by the throat. He felt the blood spatter on his face again, he felt the pain and tears stream down his cheeks again, he felt the horror and fear all over again. Everything was so vivid to him. Every scream, every curse he swore, every yell of mortal terror he felt brush against his conscience as the mans blood and organs flew from his body and onto the hot tar. He saw his best friend's father's head lying beneath his boot, once again. He wanted to scream so hard, it was the most horrifying scene he ever laid eyes on.   
  
He managed to snap out of that world now. It was the past now. The head on the ground was replaced by Matt's face. His eyes red as he shed tears that soaked his shirt. Cole put his hand over his shoulder. He felt so odd comforting someone when he needed comfort himself. But at least Matt knew now, but at a terrible price. He continued to pat his friend reassuringly on the back. Telling him that everything was okay, that everything would be all right, that he felt the same way, terrified and sad. For the first time since the Sirix attacks ended, he felt that he had a best friend again.  
  
Matt then stopped his tears and looked at Cole again, almost in horror. His eyes widened. "Cole…they know who you are." He sounded as if he didn't believe a word he was saying.  
  
Puzzled, Cole stared at him. "Huh? What do you mean?"  
  
"COLE, GET DOWN HERE QUICK!", Drake yelled from downstairs.   
  
Forgetting temporarily about what Matt meant, they wiped away their tears and ran downstairs to see what all of the commotion was about.   
  
"What, Drake?", Cole agitatedly asked.  
  
'They know who you are! We gotta leave now!", Drake said, he was out of breathe.  
  
"Was there a memo that I didn't get? What the hell are you talking about?!", Cole asked. He was panicking.  
  
"Look on the TV!", cried Andrew  
  
Cole looked at his television to see his picture flashing on the screen "…Police have a break in the Sailor Soldier case. Just mere minutes ago information has been released on the identity of one of the Sailor Soldiers. 20 year old Cole Collingsworth has been confirmed to be the leader of the Sailor Soldiers and is wanted by Police…"  
  
"SHIT!", Cole yelled. "How did they find out who I was! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!?"  
  
"I don't know, but the Cops will be here any second now. We gotta get out of here now!", Drake said, quite alarmed.  
  
"But how can I escape!? They know what I look like!" Cole wanted to ram his head into a wall. He felt so trapped.  
  
"How else?", Matt said with a sly grin on his face. "I cant believe you forgot about the Change Pen Pluto gave to you."  
  
"MATT! YOU ARE A GENIUS!" Cole jumped happily "I totally forgot about that! BUT WHERE IS IT! OH NO! I LOST IT!"  
  
"I know you did.", Matt said calmly.   
  
"AND YOU ENJOY THIS WHY, AGAIN??", Cole yelled.  
  
"Because you left it at the temple and I have sorta been keeping it in case something like this happened." Matt said as he waved the pen happily with his hand. Under Cole's fear he was totally happy that Matt was beginning to come back to normal.  
  
He ran to Matt and grabbed it quickly. "Okay, I haven't done this in a while…but its my only hope. CHANGE PEN ACTIVATE!" Out of the tiny red pen came a magnificent glow that lit the entire room "CHANGE ME INTO A-----UMMM----CHANGE ME INTO A----"  
  
"Hurry, the cops are probably on this street, dammit!"   
  
  
"CHANGE ME INTO A POLICE OFFICER!", Cole yelled quickly into the pen.   
  
In a bright flash of light, thick smoke enshrouded the living room and as it cleared Cole emerged as a very fat and short Police officer. He was about 7 inches shorter than Cole and had a mustache and curly black hair with the complete uniform with gun and all. He gently tucked away the change pen in his pocket.   
  
"Lets go through the back!", Cole spoke in a much deeper and accented voice.   
  
  
  
A knock on the door made Cole's heart beat faster than ever before.   
  
"OPEN UP! THIS THE POLICE COLLINGSWORTH! WE KNOW YOU Are IN THERE! OPEN THIS DOOR OR WE WILL BREAK IT DOWN!"  
  
Using his brilliant ability to think on his feet Cole gave the other four a signal to leave through the back door without him. With every ounce of courage in him, Cole opened the door.  
  
"Who the hell are you?", One of the Officers snapped rudely, there was at least 6 of them.  
  
"I am Officer--", Cole looked down at his name tag without looking too conspicuous "I am Officer--Bran---I mean Brady, North West division. You are too late. Collingsworth and his buddies seem to have fled. We just missed them.", his heart pounded loudly in his ears.  
  
"What do you mean? I could of sworn I heard the door shut when we knocked.", Another one of the officers glared suspiciously.  
  
Cole scratched his mustache and said nervously "Those were my boys outside, checking the backyard before leaving, but like I said before they have fled already."  
  
"North West Division, eh?", One of the slimmer ones asked. "I have a buddy there, do you know a Bill Volasco?"  
  
"No sir. I just finished the academy.", Cole was really starting to get the hang of his disguise. "And between you and me, this would be my first real case."  
  
The police seemed to take a slight liking to him. "We all have to start somewhere, eh?" The Slim one replied. "Lets go. We should check the airports to see catch those bastards before they leave the country. You sure you and your division have searched the premises already?"  
  
"Very, sir.", Cole just wanted to leave as fast as possible.  
  
"Then we will be on our way. We have 5 criminals to catch. If you get to know Bill, tell him John says hi to he and his wife. Lets go boys.", he finished as they walked off into their squad cars and drove away.  
  
Cole gave a huge sigh of relief and closed the door to his apartment and went around the back to join his friends.   
  
It was very dark already. A lot of time must have passed since they left the sky tower. Cole grabbed a flashlight out of his belt, turned it on and held it above his shoulder like he saw them do on Cop shows. He scanned the bushes and trees. He didn't see his friends anywhere.   
  
Suddenly in the corner of his eye he saw a tiny red flame. He shook it off as a trick of the light. He then heard a bush rumble. He quickly turned towards them with full caution. Out of nowhere came 4 cops with their flashlights flashing in his eyes. He yelled of fright.  
  
"Don't you recognize us?", a tall and big nosed Officer spoke. He smiled "Its me, Drake! And Matt, David, and Andrew"  
  
"Huh!" Cole yelled as chills went through his spine. "how is that possible! You cops aren't them! I am Officer Brady, searching for Collings--"  
  
"Oh cut the act stupid." The tall one said playfully. "Your dumb Pen fell out of your pocket. It has a hole in it or something. I grabbed it right after you gave us the signal."  
  
Cole checked his pockets, the pen was gone. "Geeze! You guys scared the crap out of me! We better get going. It isn't safe here."  
  
"Yes sir, Officer Brady!", another one of them said jokingly. For some reason he had a feeling this round and gray haired one was Andrew. "But where to?"  
  
"The cops are headed for the airport, so we better run just as far as we can out of this city."  
  
"Then lets get going!", a young looking bald cop said. He knew this was David.  
  
The soldiers ran towards the full and regal moon like the tides of the ocean. They ran through streets, dark allies, and around buildings as fast as they could. It was very dark and cold outside, but they just ran like they had never run before. It seemed as if they would run forever, but they knew that couldn't be true. But contrary to what some may believe they loved it. They loved to run because the brisk wind in their faces and rushes of adrenaline made them feel as if they didn't have a problem in the world. They felt free. They just needed to keep their cover and run only in the shadows. That was where they were safe.   
  
Finally they were out of breathe and strength. They had no idea where they were, and no intention on knowing. The less they knew, the less others would know, and the less others would know, the better. All they knew was that the moon seemed bigger now. Almost a golden tinge to it. They stopped and saw that they were without a doubt definitely away from the city. Maybe not far from it, but definitely out of it. Things seemed much more quiet wherever they were. Where the swaying trees could be heard and seen and where the crickets lovely music could be enjoyed. They could feel cool and fresh air brush against them. Not the heat and smog they were used to. It seemed like they were in a forest. A forest which they had no idea how they got into, and no idea how to get out. It seemed unreal and exaggerated that 5 young and becoming men could run so far, it seemed out of human bounds, but a depth and knowledge of fear and danger can somehow be a power of its own. They had no idea what they had gotten into and yet had no idea what they could get into. The shadows had led them here, and here, they would stay.  
  
They rested a few minutes when a light beep of Cole's watch set off to introduce the fresh hour that had now commenced. With a quick glance and tilt of his head he saw it was midnight. In exactly twenty-four hours, he thought, they would have to face their toughest opponents yet, whom in front of their own eyes had already killed probably 50 or more people in one fiery blast. Or so he thought.  
  
The birds in the trees around them quickly flew away from their dwellings and into the sky. The winds seemed to have stopped and a single howl of a wolf alerting his pack about something seemed to send chills down all five human spines.  
  
The young men looked at each other in confusion. Something didn't seem right or natural now, or at least not as it did before. The hairs on the back of their necks stood up. They sensed something but they didn't know what it was. They all stood erect and cautious. Ready for the worst.   
  
Their attention was drawn to a long and silvery pond in front of them. Shining and swaying under the moonlight. Something seemed to be going terribly wrong. The water swirled unnaturally and created a dent in its liquidly surface. Forceful winds from the swirling sent them aback. In a stunning and shell shocking reality emerged two beings, Radix and Maddox.   
  
Cole wanted to run but the winds seemed to draw him towards the water, along with all of his other teammates. He didn't understand, why were they there. The trees seemed to sway in unnatural fear. Their balance had been disrupted.  
  
Cole then glared at the two beings. Yes they were the same two creatures from the sky tower, just as powerful and intimidating with their swords held sleekly across their chests. But this was secretly what he had desired, his ultimate test. He didn't want to escape from them now, and even if he did, where would they go…they were on the run. 


	10. Chapter 10: Memories

Memory  
  
The fiery tides of water swirled with unnatural enragement that caused every young man's heart to stop for a beat--except Cole's. The water pushed itself against the earth beneath it until its source was completely dry and its murderers stood in its mouth. Radix and Maddox remained stiff and silent, sending a cold shrill feeling of terror through most of the men's spines; it was only Cole who looked just as cold and fierce as they.   
  
With one glare a storm brewed from nowhere and the lake which was swirled dry was quickly filled again. One could say these were the tears of the heavens, falling against the soldiers, some could think this was an omen, but Cole thought of it as that special drum he was waiting for, pushing his heart into battle. A single stripe of thunder broke the silence between the two parties.   
  
"What are you doing here.", Cole growled more to himself than the bounty duo.   
  
"You called us here didn't you.", Radix snarled back, "It was you who called to us…to come now to fight to the death, was it not?"  
  
This stirred the other four young men to give a quick, sick stare of denial at Cole, but quickly turned forward to their foe.   
  
"What if it was.", Cole replied coolly as a loud roar of thunder lit up his fierce expression. "You two wont care in hell."  
  
Maddox sarcastically threw himself aback and humorously jolted "Ha! This from an idiotic quintet dressed as over aged police officers. Any idiot can see right through them." he paused and seemed to hold back his laughter "Oh yes, I guess not any idiot. I suppose clueless humans are the exception. I am guessing you two are hiding from the law, you are in a predicament, correct? If I am not mistaken all the humans who once confided in you as their hero now think you are mad murderers. Ha, I guess loyalty has a different meaning here on Earth…it probably wont matter much once its destroyed."  
  
"Shut-up! We are here to fight you, not to talk! Are you ready or not, Maddox! Or are you going to retreat like you did the last time?!", Jupiter blurted.  
  
Maddox chuckled softly. "I thought you would appreciate our pity. Wasn't destroying half of your city with your own fire enough humiliation for you. We left because we felt sorry for you pathetic heroes and made a mockery of your reputation. We didn't come to fight, just to receive your scepters and to be on our merry way. Isn't it fair, or maybe you should ask Cole, he does all of the talking for you, doesn't he?"  
  
Drake grated his teeth and tried to lunge at Maddox while the others struggled to hold him back. "THIS IS WAR, MADDOX!", he managed to yell.  
  
"So does this mean you will risk your entire planet just to die trying to defeat us? Is that it, Sailor Jupiter? Are we going to be forced to kill you? Is that what you are trying to say?"  
  
"DAMN STRAIGHT, FUCKER!", Drake roared, still trying to break free from his friends.  
  
Maddox caused his heavy and powerful sword to appear in his hand with a flash of neon green light. "Well, what are you waiting for, fools. You haven't transformed yet. I'd like to kill you in uniform if you don't mind."  
  
"Bring it!", Drake hollered, breaking away from his friends and lunging at Maddox while the storm began to strengthen.   
  
Radix stood in front of Maddox and sent a flash of orange light from his palm that broke Drake free from his police disguise and forced him to fall painfully into the cold mud.   
  
Drake pushed himself up, wiped the mud away from his mouth ruggedly with his sleeve and looked bravely into the eyes of Radix. "Ready, Soldiers?", he grumbled hoarsely.  
  
The team lifted their rods towards the radiant full moon. "SAILOR PLANET POWER!", they bawled in unison. With a single flash, the Sailor Soldiers emerged from the light, full of energy and heart.   
  
Already assembled in triangle formation, Mars kneeled in the front with his crimson bow in hand. "MARS FLAME SNIPER!", a scarlet arrow flew towards Radix.  
  
The warrior concentrated thoroughly at the attack but with his palm, caused the arrow to stop and telekinetically crushed it with his mind as if it were nothing. "When do you want to start this fight?", Radix sarcastically asked in triumph.  
  
"NOW!", Saturn roared in his animalistic rage, sending his nuclear Armageddon attack at Radix from behind.   
  
The bounty warriors were devoured in a orange energy sphere that cratered the entire part of the forest where the lake once stood.   
  
Cole gave the thumbs up to his friends. His cheap trick was successful.  
  
Maddox stood over Cole and lifted him off the ground by the neck as he began to struggle for air.   
  
"You thought you were clever, eh!", Maddox grimaced evilly to Cole. "Thought your cheap shot would work, eh! I guess you were wrong then, weren't you! HAHAHA!". Saturn was purple in his fight for oxygen.   
  
Jupiter jumped into the air and over Maddox to rescue his leader when he felt a kinetic force hurling him onto the ground again. It was Radix, whose armor was slightly cracked from the assault on him. He was equally angry as Maddox was and used his psychic power to prevent Jupiter from breathing also.  
  
"VENUS LOVECHAIN WRAP!", a voice from the side of Radix cried. An orange chain clenched at Radix's leg which broke his control over Drake. Using every ounce of strength David could tap into, he swung the younger bounty warrior at his commander, who, in chain, released Saturn and fell backwards with Radix's weight over him.   
  
Cole ran to his companions which his hand comforting the red gash around his neck. He had just barely lost the one Sirix gave him.   
  
"Mars!----Celestial! FIRE!", Matt cried, harnessing a great wall of flames that walled between the two sides. The flames burned brightly and would not give in, not even to the downpour of water still falling from above.  
  
"That should hold them off for a moment. Everyone! Prepare for a group attack!", Cole demanded while everyone triangulated as he wished. "On my call!", he ordered while the group charged up a solid octagon of energy into Cole's palm. "More!" The ray increased into even larger proportions. With his eagle-sharp vision, Cole could see a slight dent in the fire barrier. Radix and Maddox were trying to penetrate the wall. "1!" The shape of the two beings started to form on the wall. "2!", he could now see their skin pushing out against the intense fire. "3!!"   
  
The octagon reached its climactic level and cannoned out of Cole's palm, pushing them onto their rears with its force and broke through the flame wall with the aliens with it. The entire formation collapsed into ashes and the two beings struggled against it and trying to make it fly back.   
  
"More force!", Cole cried. The true spirit of the leader within him as shining.   
  
"Mars Flame buster!", Matt forced from his scepter towards the octagon energy field of light, adding even more power to it.  
  
"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!" thousands of green diamonds of light flew into the grand attack that became even more forceful. Radix and Maddox were creating dents in the ground with their heels.   
  
"VENUS CRESENT RAY CANNON!". A pure golden sphere of light dented into the mouth of the attacks and increased its size. The two beings were starting to be forced backwards.   
  
"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!", the forces of water were harnessed at Andrew's disposal and sent a mini hurricane at the blinding force. The trees snapped at the mercy of these winds he caused.  
  
Finally, with the most power and force of all, Saturn created his miniature Saturn prototype ray in his palm. "SATURN NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON!"   
  
For a moment the sky lit up with a sick dawn of orange as the power Saturn summoned was launched from his hand into the creation of he and his companions. It let lose a quick backfire which sent winds towards the soldiers too, but in seconds moved forward towards Radix and Maddox and devoured them in its might. The octagon exploded and took the forest with it in flames. The men quickly banded together before the full destruction and tried with all of their might to survive the power they created together. With their eyes closed tightly they held on to one another for dear life while they felt their uniforms burning off of their backs and the ground collapsing under them.   
  
The trees broke from the bottom up and fell on top of one another in a pile of lumber. They looked as if they were killing themselves, from the inside out while the space around them did the same. Animals that had not left already were quickly and effortlessly dissolved into tiny and soon microscopic pieces of flesh, the flames cremated them and only random parts survived.   
  
The entire forest seemed to be absorbed in one large cyclone of death that was destroying it inch by inch while the humans and people around it could only watch helplessly, in fear of their own lives from afar. The clouds became scarlet and the night became a crimson dawn. Only the silent screams of the souls of nature could be heard, and even that scream could only be heard by the human conscience, until it would be analyzed to be nothing at all. The nuclear rays shooting upward at the clouds remained with full activity and anger for minutes until the only thing left of the forest was nothing at all but a memory, just as peace had become, a memory. 


	11. Chapter 11: Loyalties, part 1

[a/n] Hi everyone! I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter after my pretty lengthy intermission. Well, I'm ready to commit to this again, and probably to the end. This was originally one chapter, but for your enjoyment and dramatic purposes, I'll make it two. This chapter is filled with symbolism and important stuff so be on the lookout for hints for the ending. I can't continue however with your precious reviews though, so please do so, I need somebody to write this for. Thank you so much. Email me for any questions. Sorry for the hold up, now lets start our story. [a/n]  
  
Loyalties [part 1]  
  
Cole awoke to a dark world, a cold world, filled with silence. There was no dust or debris in front of Cole, yet no ground to walk on either. The entire plain was a burgundy mist that was so dark and silky, but totally transparent. He could feel no definite temperature, just a neutral climate, enough to keep him alive, but a lack amount to keep him sane.   
  
Reluctantly he felt his face with his palm, but what surprised him was that there was no blood, not even a scab anymore. He was sure that he would have a scar on his face and be soaked in his own blood, but everything was just fine. Then he looked down, his heart gave a fast beat of worry that caused a cool sweat to form on the surface of his face, his uniform was gone and all he was dressed in was a silk tank-top and boxers, both as pure as white can get.   
  
The young man searched his neck, his necklace was gone, the necklace that kept him alive all of the time, the necklace that held his scepter that he could resort to in his time of need was now gone. He was as pale as the garments over his toned body. He immediately thought back to his last, cold memory. He could visualize the strong winds pushing his back and the powerful attack being given its first and last breath of life, tearing open the forest, inside and then out, and finally destroying everything in its path. He wondered if he was destroyed as well and that his scepter was left in the before-life as he thought of it, which was the world he longed for dearly at that moment.  
  
In a theatrical-like manner he could see his friends in his peripheral vision, each rising from what looked as nowhere, one at a time. He stared deeply at them, they too were in the pallid attire that made his heart sink. They were on their own. The five of them stood out so much, which made them easy prey for anything that may possibly be around them. He hoped Radix and Maddox were not among them. 'No. They have to be dead by now.', he thought to himself.   
  
"Cole, they are gone. Our scepters are all missing, what are we going to do?", Andrew asked, finally shattering the silence. His voice echoed and filled the entire unadorned space. "If Radix and Maddox have them, we are all doomed."  
  
Deep down Cole knew that they did not have all of them. In the depths of his mind their was a location he knew of where Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto's scepters all rested. He felt the urge to summon them, and possibly try to use them to save their lives, but he did not know what balances he would corrupt if he did. He would use that as a last resort. "Maddox and Radix are dead, Andrew. They had to have died in the explosion, I just know it."  
  
"Then why are we not dead?", David defied. "Can you tell me that, Cole?"  
  
Cole was in no mood for David at this moment "Who said we aren't dead, I personally have been dead for the past two days, try it sometime.", he glared. David did not respond, he could see Cole's anger.  
  
"I sense that we are not on Earth. There is no life energy here,", Matt said softly "Its almost as if we are in another--"  
  
"Dimension.", a powerful voice ricocheted around the group. "You are a very intelligent human, Matthew, it's a shame you are not as smart as me however. Or else maybe you would have this."  
  
Matt looked forward and saw that the powerful voice belonged to Maddox, sword in hand, and Radix standing right in his shadow, just as confident and fierce. In Maddox's other hand though was Matt's scepter, gleaming with crimson rage that made him want to lunge at the bounty warrior.   
  
"Give that back Maddox! Hand it over or you will regret it!", Matt shouted.   
  
Maddox grinned assertively, tossing the rod like a baton while the 4 boys held Matt back from jumping at it.   
  
"Why are you not dead!? We killed both of you!", Cole demanded more to himself than Maddox.  
  
Radix grabbed the claret scepter while it twirled in the air, stepping out of the shadow. "That is what you thought when really you just created such a force that you broke through your own dimension, taking all 6 of us with you, novice."   
  
"This will end here you sick bastards!", Drake threatened angrily, "This is to the death! YOU ARE GOING--"  
  
Radix flicked his long index finger at Drake's mouth causing him to bark excessively.  
  
"BARK! BARK BARK BARK! BARK BARK!?? ARF ARK WROFF ROFF ROF ROF!", Drake cried hysterically while he tried to form words from his mouth.  
  
Radix gave a relieved sigh and with another flick of his finger kinetically pushed him on his rear "Sit down you pathetic dog. Utter another word and you shall be put to sleep." He turned his head to the others "I and Maddox rule this dimension and as you can see, gives us boosted powers and as you can also see…you have none. We have 5 of the 8 scepters we need, I suggest sitting on your asses while I kill you all."  
  
With the raging intensity still flowing through him, Matt stepped forward to Radix "Fat chance! You get us out of here at this second or I swear you will be sorry."  
  
Radix made the tip of his index finger glow a threatening shade of mauve and sent a powerful power surge forward that brought Matt to his knees.  
  
Maddox gave a disapproving look "Radix, enough. We must kill them now and give them to master before sunrise. They have been cornered so let them die."  
  
Radix remained to have a crazed look in his gleam "No, not just yet.", he ejected 5 silver thread-like beams from his finger tips and attached them to Andrew's hands, legs and neck. Radix became Andrew's puppet master and against his will directed him to the growling Drake, causing the two to kiss while Radix giggled quietly. "Kiss the puppy loser, kiss the puppy.", he laughed sickly as the strings were sliced like lightning by Maddox's sword which made the mystical thread dissolve into dust. Radix glared.  
  
"I should have never trusted you to do a true warriors job. Nevertheless." , Maddox sent thousand of sound waves from his palm sent the first four soldiers to sleep, leaving Cole out and conscious.  
  
"Any last words on behalf of your crew?", Maddox asked with feigned compassion.  
  
Cole left the area silent for a moment. He knew what he wanted to say. "The strings are fading Maddox and the beast will break from his chain. You deserve to know that.", Cole flinched and held his eyes tightly shut, he failed his entire team.  
  
The warrior leered sternly at Cole. "Do what you want with the others but leave my sight ,Radix. Do not return until told otherwise."   
  
Radix giggled once again "As you wish!", Radix transported off in a fiery explosion and took the other four with him, cackling until the smoke faded and he was out of sight.  
  
"Rise boy.", commanded Maddox. Cole gave no response, he didn't even open his eyes, he knew from the moment he spoke that he would live. "I SAID RISE!"   
  
Maddox made his eyes glow green and jolted Cole up with his mind.  
  
"I order you to fight me!", Maddox directed solemnly. Cole refused to speak. "I want to fight to the death, to prove to you and the universe that I am in control of both you and Radix! I will kill you and I will use your head as a symbol of my authority. Fight me now, Sailor Saturn. You do not have a choice."  
  
Cole opened his eyes slowly and spoke with every ounce of heart within him. "I am not Sailor Saturn, Maddox."  
  
The bounty warrior jerked uneasily "Don't be a fool. Of coarse you are!"  
  
Cole's eyes streamed with tears. "No. That is the entire point. Sailor Saturn is strong and invincible---the most confident and talented fighter I know. I am not him. I am Cole Collingsworth and have been for quite some time. Cole is a weak human, Saturn is a powerful god. I can't fight you, I want to die now. I have failed myself, my family, and most important of all my friends. Do not ever call me Sailor Saturn because he is dead--a memory along with everything else I have been in contact with. Do not make me fight you."  
  
Maddox's face turned crimson with fury as he grabbed a small chain from neck and threw it inches in front of Cole. It was his beloved scepter. "There you sorry excuse for a hero! It is your scepter, the only one I had in my possession. Use it at once, I want to fight a true warrior of great caliber. Wipe your tears away and fight.  
  
Cole stared blankly at Maddox. "A few minutes ago, I might have taken it, but now that Radix has taken all of my friends to use them for who knows what, I realized that it isn't that scepter that makes a great hero. It's the person who harnesses its power. Take it back. It is yours now. Keep the rod and every ounce of pain that comes with it."  
  
Maddox charged a tiny sphere of energy on his finger and sent it at Cole's left leg. He didn't even scream, he just collapsed like an empty coat hitting the floor. Maddox yelled and cursed as loudly and as long as he could stand, but Cole couldn't even find the strength to care any longer. He was drifting into his own thoughts and dreams.  
  
  
  
He could no longer see or hear Maddox anymore. Everything surrounding him was an angelic shade of white that made even his garments seem dark.   
  
"Cole get up, did you forget the promise you made to me?", Sailor Uranus asked. Cole had never seen him so clean and white before, he was so stunned that he didn't even care to think of how Uranus could possibly be talking to him right now. He seemed so at rest, with angel wings sprouting from his back and a golden aura enchanting and calling at Cole's spirit. He could feel his burdens being lifted away from him.  
  
"Of coarse I did not.", Cole said shamefully. He couldn't even look at him in the eye. "I think about it everyday of my life."  
  
"Cole, you are holding back. I know it--I know you. Why have you been so disturbed recently."  
  
Cole aggressively tried to keep himself from crying in front of his friend. Reality was starting to sink in. "I --k-killed you, George.", Cole quivered. "I killed you! I don't know exactly how, b-but I killed you, I d-did."  
  
George frowned. "Cole, don't you ever blame yourself for my death. It was my time, you merely helped my escape."  
  
"WHY CANT I ESCAPE THEN, DAMMIT! Why can't I die too! I am ready, George! I can't do the job anymore."  
  
"Is that all this is to you, Cole? A job?", he asked disappointedly. "You are the chosen one, Cole. I know you don't mean that."  
  
"Of coarse I do!", Cole insisted hysterically. "I can't stand to see my friends die anymore, I am not the chosen one, it has to be a mistake. You are the strong one. You are so much tougher, smarter, and quick witted than I can or will ever be. Why aren't you the chosen one."  
  
George looked at Cole softly. "Cole, you know perfectly well why you were the chosen one, and I was not. Dr. Tomo made it perfectly clear--"  
  
Cole cut his friend off "I don't speak of him or what happened that horrible year anymore. I'm just grateful that my friends were there to help me through that the entire time.", Cole's eyes widened. He just realized what he had said at that moment. His friends…they may not be with him physically, but the memories and happiness they gave him still bestowed him with strength…as if they were beside him. Cole let his tears fall and stared at his feet. "George, I am such an idiot. How could I not see what you were trying to point out to me all of this time. My friends! My friends have always been at my side, thick through thin, giving me hope and guidance! I know that it is my responsibility to never give up on them and to fight to the end! That was the promise that I made to you, I have never felt so strong in my life! And you to thank for it! Thank you Geo-", Cole looked over his shoulder to embrace his companion but saw nothing but the air, burgundy and silent as it was before.  
  
Cole was so confused. He knew that what had just happened was real. He had spoken to his dead friend. He could still feel his warm breath over his shoulder, but he was gone…and so was the realm of eternal love and peace his toes had just felt beneath him. But now only Maddox was in his sight now. He had his back to Cole, still cursing and yelling as loud as ever, and his scepter at his heels…  
  
  
  
Maddox fury subsided slightly. His back was still to Cole. "You say you want to die, Cole!? That is a wish worth granting! Say goodbye human!", he sharply turned but his expression of anger was now covered with shock. Cole was standing tall and confident in his Sailor Soldier uniform and a heavenly glow enshrouded his life energy.  
  
"You idiot, who do you think you are! Now you wish to fight, Cole?"  
  
The Sailor Soldier looked at Maddox with no fear or self-pity as before, he just said one thing to the bounty warrior and one thing only. "I do not know who this Cole you speak of is, but you can call me Sailor Saturn, your downfall." 


	12. Chapter 12: Loyalties, part 2

Last time on 'The Starlight Soldiers':  
  
Cole and the others awaken to find themselves in another dimension which is controlled by Radix and Maddox who found a way to get out of their fiery doom. Meanwhile, after humiliating the men in an attempt to show his authority over the plain, Radix is ordered away from Maddox for he wants to be with Cole alone. Radix leaves, taking the others with him. Maddox orders Cole to fight him, but after being refused by a shattered Cole, the young man finds himself in a spiritual 'dream' where he meets up with his dead companion George Baxter who gives him his confidence and flare back, but after helping so much, George disappears as mysteriously as he came. Unaware of this whole Ordeal, Maddox prepares to kill Cole without his fight, but instead finds himself facing Sailor Saturn ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Loyalties, part 2**  
  
  
  
Maddox stared skeptically at Sailor Saturn, he could almost smell the confidence and power within him…but there was just something uncanny about Cole now…he just couldn't quite pinpoint it yet. He smirked sardonically; Sailor Saturn was not affected in the slightest.  
  
As his laughter finally subsided, Maddox still spoke with humor in his tone, "You humans amaze me more everyday. I am not a fool, Cole.", he frowned. "You need not pretend you are Sailor Saturn, I can tell that you are nowhere near his level of greatness…but something about you…I must make a vow on my own sword that you are inferior to me…as a symbol for both my authority and---"  
  
"But that is where you are so wrong, Maddox.", Sailor Saturn insisted, "Maybe I am not invincible or a legend…but you are blind…and that will be your demise."  
  
Maddox's temples flared with anger, "Silence! Do not speak of what you do not understand!", he roared, "I am Maddox, the most powerful and intelligent bounty warrior in the entire universe!"  
  
"And the most gullible.", Saturn said coldly.  
  
Maddox's eyes bulged a dark crimson glare, he clutched his sword and swung it towards Saturn. Calmly, he used his scepter to keep the blade away from his skull.  
  
Maddox struggled against the human for victory over him, but his sword found the scepter to be of equal caliber. With his bloodshot eyes, Maddox dug into throat to speak without losing his grip, "Why are you so much stronger than you were our first meet?!"  
  
Cole kept his poker face in tact while harnessing strength from a place that he never knew existed. Also straining for strength to speak, he pushed out his response. "Because--I am not---", his veins were bursting from his wrists, "afraid anymore!"   
  
Maddox paused speechless as Saturn pushed the sword right out of his clasp. The warrior plunged into the auburn ground while Cole was on his feet, fighting for breath while sweat streamed down his face.   
  
Maddox regained the focus in his eyes, but before he could rise onto his feet the golden rod was being pushed against his chin. "Giving me back my scepter was a big mistake.", Cole said, still gasping for breath. "Surrender."  
  
"Over my dead body!", shot Maddox, slapping the staff out of its owners hand with his forearm. He clasped his hand over Cole's throat and forcefully throwing him into his remaining fist. "NOBODY WILL DEFEAT ME!", he affirmed in his craze. He summoned his beloved sword and held it unstably over Cole's head. "GOODBYE SAILOR SATURN!"  
  
Everything was in slow-motion now, or at least it seemed that way to Cole. Everything was a blur to him, but the pressure crushed him that he must think fast or he would risk facing his impending destiny.   
  
But then…for a moment he could see George through Maddox's crazed glare, shining with as the grace and perfection that seemed to come trademark with him. His warm glance and half smile reinforced the promise he had made to him, the same promise he intended to keep.   
  
His image dispersed and reality soaked in as unpleasantly and abruptly as always, but equally as predictable, Cole was ready for it. The blade flung down towards him---his guillotine that stood judge for his fate. Yet ideas flowed through Cole as they once had when he was merely a boy saving the world, but he was a man now with at least 5 billion people to save. With a bright smile and a lustrous stare he bellowed the beautiful sound the world had been waiting for….  
  
"SATURN STARLIGHT POWER!"  
  
Sailor Saturn glowed divinely with a golden aura that brought Maddox aback. Cole felt youthful as he once did and the weight over his shoulders seemed to be grinding away into nothing.   
  
Maddox laughed on his rear, his sword rested on the ground, "You never cease to amaze me, fool. Cole is always there to save the day isn't he?", he smirked sarcastically.   
  
Saturn glared distastefully as if he were going to explode with the rage and anger rumbling within him. Fists shaking, he spoke with as much serenity and dignity as he could.  
  
  
  
"You have taken away my life, Maddox.", Cole grumbled softly, his emotions were taking the best of him.  
  
The warrior chuckled softly for a second time, "Nobody forces you to save the world, boy. It is your own fault for trying and failing."  
  
"I didn't mean that.", Saturn snapped abruptly. "You have taken away countless lives and my family--almost everything that ever meant anything to me. They are the life that you have stolen from me.", he flung his hands up into the ever-infinite eternities and heavens above him, his staff in one hand and his palm exposed in the other.   
  
The ground began to break around him as lightning devoured the auburn surroundings. Cole's eyes sparked and heavy winds swirled around him protectively for the approaching ritual.  
  
Maddox held his ground by stabbing the ground with his sword. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING! STOP THIS NOW!"  
  
The heavens ripped itself open and sent its celestial lights down at Cole. The purity chalice had been summoned and from above placed itself into Cole's grasp. It was a beautiful article, pure gold and emblazoned with every hope and dream created by man. It had two steel wings on the side, symbolizing the grace and power it held within its chambers.   
  
A lifetimes worth of memories came back to him with just touching it. He had only used it once before…but that was during the Tomo era…he didn't really have a choice in the matter, it was the only way to save and avenge thousands of people who were killed in the attacks…but some memories were meant never to be revived. He could hardly remember what it felt like, everything was a blur afterwards. All he needed was to say those three words, and maybe all of his problems would be gone.   
  
He could feel the others behind him, giving him the strength to avail as he always had. They were keeping the chalice high over his shoulders and their warmth brought the words to the surface. His cherished friends were beside him in spirit, yet they were so real. He could almost feel Matt's thrive, Andrew's support, and Drake's energy. They all were a vital part of him, even David…yes, he was beside him too, and together they all said the three words. SAILOR CRISIS POWER!  
  
For maybe a split second, the world stood still. The winds stopped pushing, the grounds stopped breaking, and Maddox stood frozen in his expression of horror. Yet like every moment of joy and neutrality, it has its birth and death. Slowly things went to its old rhythm again.   
  
Cole's uniform gave a final spark of life when it gradually tore itself off of his loins and burned into dust. Every muscle and dimension to his masculine body was now exposed and vulnerable while every force of nature imaginable funneled around him in observance and awe. The mouth of the chalice burst open with light and hope, wrapping itself around the human, bringing an orgasmic and cleansing feeling of relief and serenity while his muscles gave an unnatural yet lustful spasm throughout him. The light devoured the surface of his skin, causing angelic white wings to sprout from his backside. The blue in his eyes throbbed repeatedly, incessantly changing shades and sizes and his locks of hair became platinum and pure again.   
  
Maddox had no choice but to clasp his eyes shut, the light was far too bright for him to handle anymore. He firmly shoved his sword further into the ground to insure his stability to stand. He wished to run and seek his partner, but he would surely be crushed in the winds and storm if he let go of his sword. His loud cursing did not even dent the brewing Armageddon, but it wasn't until this moment that he realized how vital it was to kill Sailor Saturn. Despite what anyone could think, Maddox did not regret giving Cole his only source of hope and power back, he had grown to believe he was the most powerful bounty warrior in the universe for so long, he had forgotten the fear of defeat.   
  
This fear however heightened his senses like they had been when he was just a boy…an aspiring swordsmen with the thrive to avenge the death of his father…whom his own master had struck dead when he was young…he swore he would get his revenge that day when he became the sole survivor of his lost people--all of whom murdered by the same force…but his master promised him so much more than love and happiness…power that he could use to bring his father back and maybe with enough training…enough power to kill his true enemy…but he was a swordsman…and a swordsman is only useful alive…not contorted and rotting as his father is now…  
  
The tempest subsided hastily and emerging from it was a figure more beautiful and pure than dreams could ever harness. With powerful and agile wings, it was Cole…very much the same, yet more different than words would give credit for. His eyes were deeper than eternities with an ocean blue that swirled and tided just as an ocean does. He was much taller and at peace now, long, elbow length white gloves and knee length boots. He also had a new Sailor uniform now that was now more unearthly and untainted. It was pure white with many unknown insignia inscribed with neon streaks of blue and a Celtic origin broach with a silver crystal in its core. His V-shaped headpiece was gone now and replaced with an inverse symbol that meant star child. It looked much like two C's with their backs to each other and eerily Cole's initials as well. Then clutched in his hand was a grand scythe that reached from an inch above his head all the way to the ground.   
  
Maddox unearthed his sword pointed it wearily at the man, "You do not scare me in the slightest, boy. I am ready to fight you to the death so prepare your weapon!", the being just looked at him emptily. "Confident, are we? I will carve that expression off of your face and then all of your friends afterwards! Your costume change means nothing to me.", Maddox still received no response. Angry he stormed towards him, 'Cole's' face only inches from his own. "You are a pathetic fool, and my patience has been shattered. Goodbye Sailor Saturn!", Maddox irately swung his blade at 'Cole', but his hand was swiftly stopped in its tracks, his sword dropped loudly on the ground.. The being crushed his wrist with his astounding grip, Maddox roared in his pain while the figure held the same expression through the entire ordeal.   
  
Finally the being spoke with coldness and pity in his voice "Goodbye.". Maddox's eyes widened.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Cole opened his eyes from what felt to him like a deep sleep but was immediately stricken with pain as he attempted to stand. With a glance at himself he could see that his body was completely swollen and his muscles felt completely sapped of their strength.   
  
  
  
He had no recollection of anything that had just happened and could see only his hands, legs, and many craters and dents around him. Again, he tried to get on his feet, but with only little more success than before. He managed to bring himself on his knees for a moment, but then immediately collapsed.   
  
He was wearing his white undergarments as he was when he first awoke…but could not remember past what happened after using the purity chalice. Using what little strength he had, he lifted his arm and dropped it on his chest, he was so swollen he wasn't sure if his scepter was tied over his neck as it always was. He struggled to smile, it was. Slowly he tugged at it and unexpectedly the scepter stretched into full size and surprised him. With a trembling hand, he used the scepter as a cane to bring himself up, slowly but successfully he managed to stand with the staff as his aid.   
  
His muscles slowly began to work again…but not nearly to the point where they normally functioned. He felt dizzy as his blood rushed from his head and downward, but luckily his rod kept him from collapsing again.   
  
He turned his head slightly to try to trace Maddox…but a black haze kept him from seeing 2 feet in front of him. He thought of transforming, but he doubted he had the strength to safely do so and even if he did, he certainly could not use any of his attacks. Instead, he cautiously held his scepter in front of him, he could still use its power to a certain extent.  
  
Suddenly chills ran through his spine, he could sense something approaching. In seconds an explosion of red flames and wind sounded which quickly blew the black haze away. Cole's heart skipped a beat; Radix emerged from the fire with his 4 friends behind him, all 4 of them in chains. With a quick snap from Radix the inferno dissipated. Cole's heart raced, he had no strength to fight Radix…then in the corner of his eye he saw a large figure defenselessly down on his stomach, reaching for Radix. Cole was shocked, he blinked his eyes, but his eyes did not deceive him, it was Maddox who had never looked so pathetic in his life.  
  
Radix, who had not yet noticed Maddox, smirked evilly at Cole and directed his glance at his four friends who's mouths were bounded shut and legs and arms chained together tightly. Radix sniggered mockingly. "Well, Well, Well, aren't we the lucky one.", he grinned sarcastically. "Interesting to find you all in one piece still. Your companions and I had a hell of a time in my chambers, didn't we ,fools?", he guffawed, glancing at the 4 young men who moaned and groaned miserably behind their restraints. Cole clenched his fist angrily.  
  
  
  
Finally Radix saw Maddox pitifully grunting for his help. His armor was completely broken and his pale azure skin exposed and raw. He was very bruised and bloodied, certainly inches from death.  
  
"Feeling under the weather, my partner?", Radix joked dryly.   
  
Cole could have sworn he saw tears running down Maddox's cheeks, but he really did not want to think about it. He was not even sure of what happened. He sure looked miserable, Cole thought.  
  
Maddox grumbled weakly with his bloodshot eyes staring right at Radix's. "Brother, help me!", he reached.   
  
Radix looked at his fallen partner in disgust, stepping forward and shoving his arm back down, "Brother yourself. ", he said coldly, turning away to face Cole. "Hand over your scepter now ,fool or else your friends will live a life of torture and pain for eternity."  
  
Cole tried to think quickly. With his poker face on, he spoke calmly. "You even think about Radix, and your little buddy over here is as good as dead.", Cole lied, aiming his scepter at Maddox.  
  
Radix rolled his eyes, "Be my guest, its not as if I care. Kill him now if you please."  
  
Maddox gasped in betrayal, he could not believe his ears.   
  
Cole looked at his friends, he had to save them, he needed them and would do whatever it took to save them. Selflessly, he put his rod to his temple. "I know your secret.", he bluffed. "I know why you need the scepters and if you don't release my friends right now, I will blow up myself along with my scepter, leaving your plans in the dust!", the others started to groan in disapproval.  
  
Radix trembled slightly. 'No! That fool Maddox must have told him the secret…no…he has to be bluffing, even an imbecile like Maddox would never tell…that kid is lying…I refuse to have my plans ruined by a human', he thought. "Ha!", he laughed confidently "I will take my chances, human. I am no idiot! I can see that you are weak and desperate. I doubt you even have the strength to walk!", he accused, charging up a black sphere of kinetic energy in his palm. "You shall be the first lamb to the slaughter, Sailor Saturn!", he said, cocking his arm back.  
  
Cole was terrified, he had no way to defend himself from energy that powerful. He hoped his friends would forgive him, he was out of options.  
  
"STOP!", a powerful voice roared, sending Radix aback.   
  
Cole's heart was pounding in his ears, he looked in front of him, the voice belonged to Maddox, struggling to stand as he was before.  
  
Radix's expression of shock, now was pressed with humor. "Maddox, you are more foolish than I thought. If I did not know better, I would say you were defending that human."  
  
"Of coarse I'm not!", Maddox snapped defiantly. "How dare you!"  
  
"I dare not.", Radix grinned ,"But no matter, soon enough Master will realize where your loyalties were."  
  
Maddox gasped for breath silently, desperately trying to hide his lack of strength from Radix. "My loyalties lie with him and him alone!"  
  
"Give it up, Maddox.", the other warrior shot "You are not and have never been one of us! It is still a mystery to me how master could ever think of you as a leader. But he will realize soon that you are nothing but a has-been, I am in charge now and out of your shadow! Only your father can call himself more pathetic than you!"  
  
Maddox's muscles and veins bulged from his skin as he threw himself at Radix, shaking him by the throat. Radix struggled to no avail to get his hands off of him, but then used his kinetic powers to throw him head first into the ground.   
  
Maddox was now more injured and weaker than before while Radix rubbed the red ring around his neck. Maddox then lifted his chest off of the ground, "Nobody insults my father!", the ground shook once again and it looked as though Maddox was gaining strength from his own anger. "NOBODY!", he howled demonically and furiously.  
  
His skin bubbled uncontrollably and his muscles and body quadrupled in size. His hand and long fingers became claws and his feet more animal like and enlarged. Even his teeth became fang like and extended to his chin and his nose long and pointy. Then finally his hair was now all over his body and his newly grown tail, then with predator reflexes, jounced on top of Radix, his fangs digging deep into his shoulder.  
  
Radix yelled in pain and began to transform as well into a ferocious looking beast who both rampaged aimlessly biting, scratching, and growling at one another while Cole jumped out of their way.  
  
Maddox and Radix were head to head, trying to push the other into their death. They both were proportionately the size they were in normal form, Maddox slightly bigger, but Radix younger and more brisk. With each step either one took, it felt as if the dimension was one step closer to destruction.   
  
Both parties were using every ounce of strength that they had, but they were evenly matched. Then a thought hit Cole. Maddox's strength is limited…and chances are that he will be the first to run out of energy…but he still had his scepter, so if he could just…no…it was too crazy of an idea, he could never pull it off…but Cole had this gut feeling he could not shake off.  
  
Then he looked at his friends, immobile by many heavy chains binding them defenselessly. He could not let them die, so against all better judgment, he made a decision.  
  
Cole aimed his scepter towards Maddox, he could tell his strength was running thin. Then with one single flare of light from the rod, Cole released all of the energy within it at the larger beast.  
  
Maddox glowed with rejuvenation and a new found strength within him. Cole fell to his knees, he had successfully given Maddox all of his remaining power. The large beast gave a cry of war, causing Radix to look at him in shock. Maddox was pushing him back…he could not hold his ground anymore. Then with this new strength, Maddox cocked his tail back and swung it at his opponent. Radix fell back unconscious and went back into his first form. Maddox roared in victory, but dizzily collapsed as well.   
  
The plain was covered in smoke, Cole coughed loudly and his eyes watered from all of the debris. The haze began to fade and Cole held his scepter as a cane to hold him up long enough to see what had happened.  
  
The first thing that caught his eye was Radix, hardly alive anymore. His armor was now gone as Maddox's was and there was a large rip in his shoulder from when Maddox bit him. He was bloodied and barely conscious.   
  
"COLE!", he heard several voices yell in unison behind him. As he turned around he couldn't help but smile. It was the others. The chains Radix made must have dissolved when he went became weaker.  
  
With teary eyes Cole ran to them and impulsively gave them all one big hug. A few hours ago he thought he would never see them again, and here they were. They were all reunited again and he swore to himself that he would never let them go. He was so happy, he didn't even notice the strength flowing through him again.   
  
"I missed you all so much!", Cole said.  
  
"We are very proud of you, Cole. You really handled this whole situation well.", Andrew said in his a-matter-of-factly tone. Cole had missed it so much.  
  
"I wouldn't go that far." Cole said. He had not handled it very well at first.  
  
  
  
For a moment, Drake looked reluctant to speak, "Cole…WHOA! I'm not barking anymore! Cole, I am so sorry and I will never doubt you again!", he smiled sincerely. It was that sincerity that made everything Cole went through worth while.  
  
Cole then looked at Matt. He didn't know what to say to him, if they would have died, he knew Matt would be the one he would miss the most. But they didn't need to say anything to each other. Their relieved looks seemed to speak for themselves. His eyes said everything he wanted to say.  
  
Almost on a cue, David opened his mouth once again, bringing everyone back to their grim reality. "Sorry to break this Kodak moment, but…", he pointed to Radix.   
  
"Oh…", Cole said. "Radix! I don't know if you can hear me or not…but you have taken far too many lives to deserve to live. You are a menace to society and it is time for you to meet your end. On behalf of Saturn, I must grant you your last words."  
  
Radix shook slightly and mumbled so softly it was a struggle to understand him. He made some sort of foreign sound.  
  
"I cannot understand you, Radix.", Cole said firmly.  
  
He mumbled incoherently again.  
  
"You have one more chance, Radix. I do not have the time."  
  
Radix made eerie eye contact with Cole that sent a slight chill down his back. "You…you'll…get yours…Sailor Saturn…"  
  
Out of fear, Cole aimed his scepter at Radix, "SATURN---CELESTIAL---SAL--UU--TATION!" Out of his scepter came a single circle of light that devoured Radix into nothing, the 4 scepters released from his body and the dimension slowly faded away, Cole didn't even noticed, his last words scared him deeply.   
  
The boys jumped happily, they were free now, they were back on Earth, the sky was blue around them, and though they were in a large crater, home couldn't have been better to them, Cole was oblivious to all of this however.  
  
  
  
Cole heard a small noise in back of him at that moment which broke his daze. He turned around, and there he saw Maddox, hardly stronger than Radix was.  
  
"Cole, hurry and kill him before he regains his strength!", Drake yelled. "He is no good!"  
  
"I…", Cole quivered. Radix was one thing…but Maddox…in certain ways it was because of him that they lived…he was so defenseless…he just didn't have the heart to do it. "No…I can't do it."  
  
"I understand, Cole. David and I will do it.", Drake said, they had their scepters back now and aimed them at Maddox.   
  
"No! Stop! Please don't kill him!", Cole yelled.  
  
"Cole, what is your problem!", David said. "You aren't defending this murderer are you?!"  
  
"JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT ALONE WITH HIM!", Cole snapped.  
  
The four became silent. "Take all the time you need buddy. We will be right over there.", Drake frowned as he and the others headed to the other side of the crater.  
  
"You do not need to pretend you can't hear me anymore.", Cole said softly.  
  
Maddox slowly opened his eyes. "Why have you not killed me. You have defeated me…now kill me."  
  
Cole's eyes started to water, "Maddox, you know I cannot do that! You saved us!"  
  
"I did not save any of you!", he yelled weakly. "Let me die with dignity! I do not wish to live anymore!"  
  
"Maddox, you're a good person. You can be with us. You do not need to work for your master anymore."  
  
"If you do not kill me, he will. It is over!", Maddox roared. He lifted his palm to Cole and sent a small sphere of energy at his leg.   
  
Cole gritted his teeth, the attack gave him much pain.  
  
Cole impulsively aimed his scepter at him. His hands quivered and a single tear streamed down his face. He dropped it to his side, he could not do it ,"Maddox, I know you did not mean that.", Cole said compassionately.  
  
"KILL ME!", he roared, sending many tiny blasts at Cole, but he was so weak that they didn't even have power anymore.   
  
  
  
Cole just looked at Maddox with great pity and walked away to his friends.  
  
"YOU GET OVER HERE! DO NOT WALK AWAY FROM ME!", Maddox roared. He lifted himself up but collapsed. "KILL ME NOW!", Maddox pleaded. "DO NOT SAVE ME! COME BACK!", he cried, breaking down.  
  
  
  
Cole had no idea what he had done when he spared Maddox…and he did not want to think about it. Maddox did not deserve to die in his mind. Almost everything he had done today was questionable, and in many ways it made him question his role as leader of the Sailor Soldiers…but for some strange reason unbeknownst to him…he knew that Maddox was a part of his destiny, he could feel it in his bones when he stood in front of him and stopped Radix from killing him. There are probably thousands of things that Cole would go back in time to change if he could…but saving Maddox would never be one of them.   
  
  
  
**ending subject to change. 


	13. Chapter 13: Origin

Chapter 13: Origin   
  
Maddox groaned as loudly as he could, trying to yell the pain out of himself, but nobody was listening to him anymore. Everything he had once known was now shattered and inversed. He had always felt alone…even defeated, but never destroyed until now. He glared at the 5 figures, walking away slowly from him-each step making them slightly smaller until they were just 5 dots in front of his eyes…that slowly became nothing.   
  
There seemed no point to even rise, just to groan and to curse and even that was slowly losing its purpose. Maddox just continually quivered on pathetically, if he had his sword right now he swore he would kill himself with it. But maybe the heavens would pity him as Cole had and strike him dead that second so all of his pain could disappear.  
  
"I HATE YOU, SAILOR SATURN! I HATE YOU!", he roared out with nothing else to say.   
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Maddox.", a voice said, echoing in his head.  
  
Maddox immediately panicked, his palms held tightly over his ears. "I am going mad! Be quiet! I cannot hear you!"  
  
"Of coarse you can, you are just far to stubborn to admit it.", it insisted.   
  
The voice was chillingly familiar to him…but it couldn't be. It was a sincere, yet youthfully sarcastic voice…but it was impossible. He smacked his head repeatedly with his fist, but it continued talking to him. He could not escape.  
  
"Who are you!", Maddox demanded out loud, head throbbing in confusion and pain.  
  
"Don't be an idiot. I can hear your thoughts…you know exactly who I am." Maddox could almost sense the voice smirking inside of him. "I am sure you would never forget me.", it said sarcastically.  
  
"DO NOT JOKE! HOW COULD YOU GET INSIDE OF MY MIND!", Maddox questioned fiercely.  
  
Now Maddox could almost sense a frown. "Maddox, you can make this difficult or very simple. You need not yell, I can hear every one of your thoughts, stop asking questions to things you already know.". Maddox began to go pale. He knew that he must be crazy to be having a conversation with himself. "You are not crazy.", the voice said.  
  
"STOP DOING THAT!", Maddox snapped. "I will not assist you in any way! I am loyal to my master and him alone!"  
  
The voice spoke more seriously and angrily. "You really are mad if you are still loyal to him after everything he has done to you! I know he has brainwashed---"  
  
"You know nothing!", he growled "He has done everything for my own good! Without him I…I would…Id be---"  
  
The voice cut him short irritably, "You would be happy with a loving family! There would be no 'Maddox, the bounty warrior', moaning as pathetically as you are! He is using you!"  
  
Maddox sneered in denial, "He is not. Happiness means nothing to me, for I have never known it. Emotions are for weak humans!"  
  
The voice paused. "Maddox…what do you think you are?"  
  
His spine rumbled with chills. "What is that supposed to mean! He is the only father I have ever had! I am not a sorry human, I am of a royal species just as he!"  
  
  
  
"Have you learned nothing. He does not love you, you are better off dead to him.", he pressed.  
  
"TAKE IT BACK!", he roared, deeply offended as he dug his nails deep into his skin. "GET OUT MY MIND, LEAVE NOW!"  
  
"I will not leave.", it insisted. "It is time you relearned who you truly are!"  
  
"I REFUSE TO G---", Maddox started. He felt sick in the middle of his sentence and his eyes became glazed, causing him to fall lifeless on the ground.  
  
Maddox opened his eyes, but he was no longer in his body anymore. He was in some chamber that felt very damp and humid. Along the barriers of it, however, were thousands upon thousands of stairs, going in thousands of different directions. Most of this room was black and filled with thousands of varied swords, just either floating without explanation of stuck into the ground around the many steps.   
  
"Where am I?", Maddox asked, awestruck at the rooms complexity and mystery.  
  
"The birth and all-seer of your origin. You live here every minute of your life yet never see it in nature. It exists yet cannot be seen by man. Do you know now where you are."  
  
"Impossible! Do you mean that I am in my own mind?", he said uneasily. He felt he was giving too much trust to this voice.  
  
"Not exactly. You are an electronic copy of yourself in your mind. Here you will learn of your past and your life began."  
  
Maddox frowned. "I have no recollection of my past…so there is no way that I can see anything."  
  
"I am aware of this, Maddox. I made sure you wouldn't have past memories or else you would be a lot harder to read with biases and even greater hate than before. You only have memories of Radix, the Sailor Soldiers, your "master", and myself and even those should be brief at times. But contrary to what you believe, the mind can never be erased, just blinded. You shall see soon enough."  
  
The entire chamber faded away and was replaced by a stone city. It almost resembled Rome in its prime, filled with thousands of statues and building with huge stone pillars, and many temples. A part of Maddox wanted to turn away, but another part was just as a moth pulled to the flame. It felt as if he was reliving his past. Everything seemed so real, he was standing right in the middle of it, but nobody seemed to notice him, being so tall and pale blue while everyone else looked just as the humans on Earth did.  
  
"They are human, Maddox, and no, they cannot see you.", the voice creepily answered for him.   
  
But despite the grandness of this city there was also a very dark part of it, filled with poverty and hunger. Maddox witnessed it himself, more than he could possibly know.   
  
The images now focused on a particular woman. She was beautiful, yet obviously very poor based on her torn and muddied clothing. She had many locks of beautiful red hair that reached to her waist and bright violet eyes. Her breasts were very large and full but her olive skin was devoured with dirt and grime. But one thing that stood out to Maddox was her stomach which was very large and swollen and she was screaming in this indescribable pain.  
  
"What is happening?!", he asked. He felt a strong connection to this woman.   
  
"She is giving birth.", the voice said grimly.  
  
"Why do humans feel so much pain while bearing life?", he thought to himself. "Almost sickly ironic.", he continued.  
  
"Oh, but Maddox, this is a very special event. Giving birth alone is magical…but this particular one is interesting."  
  
The woman was lying on her back, yelling in pain, but everyone in the city seemed to ignore her and continue their own lives while she labored in the street.  
  
Maddox could see a head emerging from her womb. He never had witnessed anything like this before. He just wished he could help her. She was beginning to bleed heavily and the red liquid oozed on the sidewalk.   
  
"Why is she bleeding!!?", he panicked.  
  
"Birth can take a toll for the worst occasionally.", it said grimly.  
  
"But nobody even helps her!"  
  
"If someone were to help her, it could ruin their reputations. The poor are not respected on this particular planet."  
  
Maddox started to reply, but turned back around towards the image. A little human baby was more than half way out of her, a long pink cord out of its chest. Then with one final push it was finally out. It was a boy and Maddox trembled slightly. The baby was so small and bloody, but his deep violet eyes stood out to him, they reminded him much of his own.   
  
The woman smiled weakly and then tore the long cord that linked himself to her and with her own blood trailing her, she clutched the crying being and ran into the streets as fast as she could. Maddox felt so warm inside, caring for her baby, but he wondered where she was running to.   
  
Then she stopped, in front of a large fountain, many people were walking around her, but still seemed to not notice her. She let a single tear stream down her cheek, tore off a good portion of her dress, wrapped the baby around tightly in it, and set him on the stone edge of the fountain, her hands drenched in blood. Then with one kiss to his forehead, she runs off until she cannot be seen by Maddox.   
  
"Why did she leave her child on that fountain? Is she retrieving some food to feed him.", Maddox asked, trying to make what he saw into something positive.  
  
"No, Maddox.", the voice said softly.  
  
"Is she going to get some help?", he asked naively.  
  
The voice spoke calmly. "No, Maddox, she is never coming back."  
  
"No, you must be mistaken. That is her child on the fountain unless she…"  
  
"Just watch."  
  
The day and bright blue skies wore on into rain and brisk winds. The baby continued to cry and shivered in the cold. Maddox was sure that at this rate, the poor infant would die, he was just as invisible to everyone else as his mother was. He felt betrayed himself, how could a mother possibly abandon her baby into certain death. It angered him greatly, but just as things look their grimace, two shadows domed over the baby.   
  
Maddox squinted to see who these people were, they were two figures, a plump short one and a slender tall one. The smaller one took the baby into its arms and held him tightly and the taller one took off what looked like a coat and wrapped the child in it.   
  
Maddox walked towards the figures to get a better view of them. They were a mid-age couple, he felt so happy; there was hope for the baby after all.   
  
"Who are they?", he asked.  
  
"The only caring couple in the entire city willing to put aside their pride to care for a child in need."  
  
The images went black and they were back in the mysterious chamber.  
  
"As interesting as this may be, I don't see what this has to do with my past, isn't that what I was supposed to see? When do I come into this story?", Maddox asked.  
  
"You do not see a connection?", the voice asked.  
  
"No, what do these images have to do with my life."  
  
"If I tell you, you may not believe me. You must figure this out for yourself. Now we will view this story 7 years later."  
  
The images reappeared, but now things seemed a lot happier. Even more buildings and temples existed now and the day as promising as ever. However the focus was a small house on the outskirts of the city. Inside was a happy family. There was the plump woman, her hair slightly grayer and a few more wrinkles on her face , cooking a simple meal on an old, rusty stove. Then her husband was in view as well, even thinner than the last time Maddox had seen him.   
  
But they weren't who Maddox was looking for. He wanted to see the child who would be 7 years old now but what he saw stopped his breath and made his eyes bulge. A youthful young man who looked around 17, but what startled him was that he look almost exactly like Maddox. He stood taller than his father, definitely just below 6 feet and dark violet eyes made him an uncanny look alike…but unlike Maddox he looked human. He had an olive colored skin and he looked so happy, a huge smile across his face. But other than that…they looked so much alike.  
  
"Who is that human!?", Maddox demanded to know. "Where is the child!?"  
  
"Maddox, stop being naïve. That is the child."  
  
"That is impossible! The child would only be 7 years of age. Why does he look so much like myself!?"  
  
"Maddox, the child IS you."  
  
Maddox's nostrils flared and his face turned red in rage. "YOU LIAR! I AM NOT THAT CHILD! I AM NOT HUMAN! YOU ARE A FILTHY LIAR, TAKE ME OUT OF HERE!",   
  
"Maddox, calm yourself. I knew that you would not believe me if I had told you. You must watch and most will be explained.", the voice assured.  
  
"I REFUSE!", Maddox protested.  
  
Yet, the images resumed as Maddox stubbornly turned away.   
  
"Maddox, you can see the images even with your eyes closed. We are in your mind. You cannot escape the truth.  
  
  
  
You were a poor child Maddox, a poor yet happy child. Your mother may have abandoned you, but the couple that took you in loved you more than anything. Do you know why they named you Maddox. It is because St. Maddox of Gale was a great and noble man that was known for compassion. He was born a poor child, his mother a prostitute and father a thief, but when they abandoned him, an elderly woman took him in and raised him as if he were her own."  
  
"I am not listening to this!", Maddox yelled, eyes closed and ears covered.   
  
"But one day, a former convict of the law came to her door, looking for a meal and a place to sleep for the night. Being as loving and trusting as she was, she allowed him to stay for as long as he wanted. But during the night she heard a loud shattering noise in her house. When she rose from her bed and looked into the dining room, she saw the man stealing from her."  
  
"STOP TALKING, YOU ARE NOT REAL!", Maddox screeched.  
  
"She felt concerned, but felt that if he needed to steal from her that he needed her possessions more than she did. But seeing her in the corner of her eye, he panicked and grabbing a blade from his side he mutilated the woman dead in her own home. Her last words being 'I love you son, forgive me'. Maddox, hearing the racket woke from his sleep and witnessed the death of the only person who ever cared for him. He tried to catch him, but was too slow, just getting one glimpse of the murderer. He was heart broken and planned revenge!"  
  
"STOP!", Maddox cried.  
  
"He swore he would seek his revenge on the man who killed the old woman and he became a bitter horrible man as he matured. But one day he walked down a dark path to his home when he saw a horrible sight. A scraggly old man was being beaten senseless by a gang of men. Maddox went to see what was going on and possibly stop the crime, but he got one glimpse of the old man. It was the murderer of his only friend and caretaker. He began to turn away and hoped that he would die a horrible death like the old woman he murdered, but he thought of her, of what she would have done. He knew that he was doing the wrong thing. He was a desperate human being, and in need. So Maddox lunged at the group of men, but getting over powered, beaten as well. The gang ran off and Maddox saw the convict lying on the ground defenseless and disoriented and seeing him in need, he brought him to a hospital, using all of his strength to get him there. The convict was restored to full health, but Maddox would never walk again."  
  
"I BEG OF YOU! SILENCE!"  
  
"Maddox did not care in the end, however. He was selfless in his actions and helped a fellow man in need. From that day on the convict changed and sought help, later becoming a priest in the city that inspired thousands that it is never too late or too early to become a better person. Maddox was declared a Saint for his actions and said to have powers to help anyone in need and to bring a greater good out of everyone he touched emotionally and physically. And it was true, and Maddox always kept the memory of his first and best friend and person he had ever met, who he had no trouble calling mother.   
  
Is that why you are breaking down, Maddox, because you are beginning to remember what love felt like. Do you remember how you would always ask your caretakers to tell you the story countless times? Or has it struck you that by naming you Maddox they would be at the same time be unraveling your destiny and purpose more than they ever would know. Is that why?"  
  
"YES! Are you satisfied now!? I remember that bloody story! Everything is coming back to me now! Why are you killing me?! WHY!?", Maddox pleaded.   
  
"I am not killing you, Maddox. I am waking you up. I tried to spare you ache, but if that is the only way to open your eyes, so be it. I know that even with your eyes closed you can still see these images."  
  
Maddox crouched on his knees, he was becoming more vulnerable and raw every second. Cold sweat ran down his neck.   
  
"This will be the 8th year of your life. The night that would change your life forever.", the voice said coldly. "I am sorry, Maddox, but this is for your own benefit."  
  
Maddox did not reply, he was breathing heavily, all of his memories were coming back too fast from that story. The ground he lied on became the wood of his home. Humble, his parents, as he referred to them, were. Poor as they were they had always managed to make a stable life for him. He remembered everything so well he didn't even need the images. The entire country was at war, interplanetary chaos. The world had established an intergalactic confederation…but…he was so young at the time, he wasn't quite sure what was going wrong…even with memories filling his head he never really knew why worlds were at war. His parents were very concerned, he remembered, something of a mad force being awaken 9 years ago and attacks on certain planets already been made. Some being was trying to take over…he remembered…the entire universe…and forming many armies and getting many followers.  
  
Maddox looked up out of a window in his home. His younger self looking frightened although he looked as if her were a 6'5 20 year old, he still had emotions of a small boy. His parents always wondered why he was so large, but they told him that it was because he was special and a gift of the heavens. But he knew that his birth would be a curse, not a blessing.   
  
The moon was out already and soldiers marched in the roads, technology had evolved greatly since he was born and his country was one of the most powerful in the world, yet the most vulnerable for an attack. Then as his pale counterpart lay under his covers, his parents soon stormed in, he was not sure what was going on, but they told him to close his eyes and don't listen to any sounds that may occur.   
  
Maddox frowned grimly, he heard blood-curdling screams, interplanetary armies of this madman had successfully invaded. Their own forces used every trick and weapon they had to fend these aliens off, but no avail. This madman had great powers and could create great…but evil things with his thoughts. He could create sinister creatures, undead and horrible creatures that fed on blood and flesh and were immune to any and all attacks. They had superhuman powers, and slowly they wrecked havoc globally. To most it was the end of the world, but the present Maddox could see and remember that his parents always kept hope. His mother and father embraced him tightly, but he could hear many explosions occurring all around him. He was terrified.  
  
Then the walls burst open, the young Maddox screaming in fright. Ten soldiers had blasted through his home. They were horrible looking, they were pale blue and distorted facial features left some with missing eyes or added limbs or faces. His mother stroked him gently, trying to calm him despite the horror.  
  
One in the center demanded the young Maddox to come with them, but clutching him tightly, his father refused to give him up and said to take him instead. They called him worthless to them, just another human, they needed the boy. This is when Maddox experienced his first angry feeling. It flared through him like a flame through gasoline. Nobody would call his father worthless. Then the soldier lifted his sword, ready to cut the man dead, but his attack was cut short. Maddox finally saw him…the madman and the person he would slave himself to for the rest of his life. His master.   
  
Even the real Maddox turned his head. It hurt him too much to see his face. The being was even larger than he was, all he let himself see was his shredded crimson cape that rippled as a gusted flame.   
  
He spoke and ordered the couple to calmly hand over Maddox who dug himself into his mothers chest. He just knew that if he could just hold on to her, that he would be okay. The only thing he knew about parents is that they are always there if you just hold on.  
  
The large beast demanded once more, threatening to kill Maddox if they did not hand him over.  
  
That being the boiling point, the old man marched up to the figure. Looking up to get eye contact he said that he can never have him as long as he had a breath in his body.  
  
Pausing for a moment, almost reading the compassion and bond to their child off the mans face he gave a frown. A sarcastic one. In a tenth of a second he lifted the man and burned the flesh off of him with a touch of his finger.   
  
Maddox disobeyed and opened his eyes, he saw his hero crushed into nothing. For one second the entire skeleton of his father stood erect in mid-air then falling into a pile of bones. Maddox had never had this feeling before, it was new to him, he just looked at the guards and the beast who murdered his father with dark thoughts surging through him.  
  
His mother looked in horror, heart-broken and hurt more than words could possibly depict. Maddox still could never forget her expression after his father was killed so easily and horribly. The guards asked once more for Maddox. He wished so much for her to say yes, then maybe she would survive, but before he could speak she did first. Saying with all of her heart that she would rather die than surrender her son to the likes of him. The soldiers cocked back their swords. Then she spoke her last words to her son: run.  
  
She shoved Maddox towards the exit of the room while he could hear her screams in the back of his head while all he heard was one dice of a sword and the sounds faded. He couldn't run, he had to get revenge.  
  
He turned back towards the guards and leaped onto the madman, mustering every muscle in his body. He was 8 years old, but had the strength of a man. The soldiers struggled to get him off of their creator, his rage seemed to blind but amplify his power. He dislocated joints of the soldiers and shoved some to the ground, but they swarmed until he could not fight anymore, they pulled his arms behind him and chained his body to where he was constrained to limited movement. In the corner of his eye he saw his mother, so mutilated and bloody. Her body was almost cut in a symmetrical fashion and her eyes glazed and lifeless with blood still running out of her sides.   
  
  
  
The soldiers pushed him backwards and dragged him by the arms out of his home. Out of Maddox's eyes came tears, he had never really cried before, not since he could remember, but this day would be the first and last for grueling years to come.  
  
He took one last glimpse at his home and world. Everything was rubble at this point, thousands of soldiers for the country were slain dead as well as many bystanders. He didn't see any native life, it was at this moment that the war was officially over and although he survived, he would think for decades that he died that night as well, and a new Maddox was about to be born.  
  
The images faded slowly and Maddox sat speechless.  
  
"Maddox…", the voice asked with concern "I hope you know that this is for the best. It is important that you realize the importance of your past before…it becomes too late."  
  
"Don't be sorry.", Maddox spoke, "Continue."  
  
The chamber now configured into a dark realm, his memories seemed to be regenerating along with the images. He didn't quite remember how he had gotten here, but he could remember how it felt vividly.  
  
The soldiers marched, still dragging him on his back. Then they had done something strange. They released him from the chains and impulsively he lunged at the large beast that murdered everyone and thing that meant something to him, but again he was over powered easily by him and thrown to the floor. He wanted to kill him, kill him good so that he would be sorry for what he had done. He rose again and threw himself at the figure. This time the guards stepped in, plying him away from their master, throwing him on the ground and beating him beyond all forms of pain. Yet despite all of the ache, he made sure he would never cry. He refused to give them that satisfaction. He didn't care if they beat him dead…in fact he was disappointed at times when they didn't. He had never felt alone when he had his parents.   
  
From that moment he made a vow to himself, a vow that he would avenge his family at any cost. That was why he lived at that moment, to kill. From those moments on, Maddox was tortured, ridiculed, beaten, and forced to have loyalties and respect for 'the future lord of the universe' as he was instructed to refer to the beast as.   
  
His purpose was to be a 'bounty warrior', whatever that was, he thought. That was what he was told and that he has special purposes and abilities to serve…him. He hated 'him', he had taken his life away to be his slave. Everyday he was shoved to his knees. They asked him to kiss his boot…that was how he was to greet 'him' every start of the day. They would ask him things such as 'who is supreme', or who is the greatest lord of all time' and he would be forced to say his name in response. But everyday he would say nothing, just glare and everyday he was beaten until he was inches from death. But this made him stronger, not weaker. As long as he would never cry he was fine, he would just think hateful thoughts of 'him' and he would almost laugh during his beatings occasionally.   
  
After a while he didn't even find the need for food, hunger was a sign for weakness and every second of his free time he would secretly train, unbeknownst to everyone, or so he thought, so he could become stronger until he could finally kill his enemy. His muscles grew larger and his confidence greater. Everything became a routine. He would stop his training, go to 'him', refuse to call him superior or kiss his boot and get beaten, and from that point, he would build his strength through vigorous training until he was stronger than before. Time matured him until he was no longer a young boy, but a young man. He had never felt so powerful and aware of his body before. His confidence was at its peak. It wasn't until 'he' made a surprise progress check on him that he had ever felt defeated.  
  
He was doing the same things as usual, he hardly ever saw 'him' anymore, there seemed no point since he would never answer. He didn't care, it just gave him more time for training, but to his surprise, 'he' just came to his chambers, curious of his progression since they had first captured him.   
  
Maddox ignored him and continued his rituals, but then he received the question. 'Who is lord?' he asked. Maddox was not afraid, he must have been training non stop for years, he was in charge now, not under his control, it was time for his end. In response, he spit in 'his' face. He was not scared, he knew he would never hurt his "purposed" slave. But he was wrong, very wrong. 'He' rolled the saliva off of his face with the back of his hand and used and used the same back hand to smack him to the ground.   
  
He flew back, his face bloody and ripped. He tried to fight back, but he was given a beaten far worse than he had ever felt. 'He' cut him, bruised him, bit him, ripped layers of his skin off with his long nails and sharp teeth. His entire back was scarred with long scratch marks from that beating and by the time it was over his skin was purple and blue with bruises from repeated punches above and below his waist.  
  
He was unable to move for months, his bones were broken severely, but he was just left to lie on the ground in pain. He was never given any medication or casts. From then on he always would answer 'him'.   
  
  
  
He was foolish to think that being reckless and tense would only cause him to be killed. He devised a new plan, he would be 'loyal' to 'him', but he would never forget his vow and when the time was right, he would avenge the deaths he caused. The beating had drastically changed him. He was no longer foolish, he had to be just as smart as 'he' was or else he could never get revenge. He worked twice as hard as before and slowly he regained respect in 'his' eyes. He had proved himself many times that he could over power any of the guards and soldiers, and eventually 'he' saw it time for his purpose as bounty warrior to be fulfilled. But he always remembered the vow…always.   
  
Then one day his worked had paid off. He was ordered to see 'him' personally, it was urgent. He went to him and asked what he could do to help him--anything to get his guard down. But then all he did was hand him a box, a long and very heavy box. It looked like a gift…nobody had ever given him a gift before--besides love, but love was useless where he was now. Excitedly he opened the box, he heart jumped. It was a sword, a large sword, it was so beautiful and divine. He reached to grab it but was abruptly stopped. 'He' warned him that touching the sword would start his duties as a bounty warrior and that it was a powerful sword that would alter his DNA and change his appearance. He didn't care, he loved it. He grabbed it out of the box and held it proudly.   
  
Suddenly he felt sick. He fell over in a seizure, he couldn't help but vomit repeatedly. The room spun madly and he felt dizzy and lightheaded. Finally his episode ceased and slowly he could see his skin going paler until it was a sick shade of light blue. He felt very different, he looked much more like the guards now, much more powerful. He had finally become one of them. He grabbed the sword and the first words that came out of his mouth was 'thank you, master', and now he felt some strange connection to his enemy now. In some sick sense he felt a bond with him. It was some half-lived love that made him feel awkward. He bowed and went to his chambers. Then began the most rigorous training of his adulthood. He spent years as a swordsman, finding new techniques and strategies to master the sword while learning the ways and purposes of bounty warriors for decades.   
  
The images on the screen seemed to be increasing by years, Maddox sick to his stomach of what he was viewing.   
  
Finally he could see himself, once again in front of his master. He seemed very tense and serious that day. It was the day Maddox would get his first job as head bounty warrior. He is instructed to kill Sailor Saturn and the others before some 'Day of Judgment' he constantly spoke of. Maddox looked amazed, astounded by their power, secretly he wished he could be a Sailor Soldier.   
  
'A Sailor Soldier?', his master said aloud, reading Maddox's thoughts. Bring me Sailor Saturn's head and I can give you great power, better than a Sailor Soldiers.  
  
Maddox grimaced, taking his master's hand and kissing it. He assured it will be done and they both laughed loudly.  
  
  
  
Maddox turned away from the images, very pale and distraught. "That is enough. I understand. I have seen enough. What do you need me to do?"   
  
  
  
"All I want is your trust and patience, everything will be clear in time."  
  
"I do not even know your name, however. What shall I call you?", he asked.  
  
"Just call me Silver." 


	14. Chapter 14: Back Home

Chapter 14: Back Home  
  
It was eerily silent in the classroom. Things hadn't been as they were before. Happiness was certainly gone, trust was certainly dead, and security mangled, yet as silent as it was, the attention of the students couldn't have been more off.   
  
All of the windows had been shut tight, large blocks of steel boarding the classroom shut of anything from the outside world. Time lingered by slowly at the Academy ,now made the most infamous and notorious building in the country. Most students had been pulled from the school immediately by their parents, but the loyal ones…the ones that gave the Sailor Soldiers purpose stayed behind.   
  
Even many teachers abandoned their jobs ever since that day, it was just too much to handle for many people at that point and in consideration of their own families, left.  
  
Ironically, this was the classroom that Cole had last been before everything brewed. When Matt had his vision here, he couldn't even imagine what was to come, how a legacy was about to begin and how destruction and chaos was not so far away as he once thought. How could he possibly know that as soon as he would leave the safety of this building that the first to die would in just mere hours.   
  
Among the 5 students was one familiar face, Christie, Cole's unofficial girlfriend who stole his heart years before the Sirix attacks. A frown stretched across her face, scribbling tiny circles on her paper. Like her, the other students seemed miserable as well, except for one.  
  
A tall built male sat in his seat, his school jacket tied around his neck by the sleeves, with life still in his eyes which were very rare these past few days. He glanced at his teacher impatiently, just waiting for the ideal moment to open his mouth. The silence was obviously getting to him.  
  
The teacher, Ms. Hunter, who was Cole's teacher as well, continued to mumble quietly, she had obviously gotten no sleep and was wired on coffee, and wrote on the board randomly. She was aware as the others were that there really wasn't anything to teach, she was even instructed by her superiors just to keep the students busy enough to get their minds off the nation and soon to be global crisis. It really was not working very well.   
  
Although the young man was not really listening to the lesson either, he was paying attention slightly, there was a phrase he was waiting for that would ease this urge to say something.   
  
Ms. Hunter finally put the chalk down bringing the male's full attention to her. "Okay. Any questions before we start?"  
  
The male's hand shot up quickly.  
  
"Yes, Duke?", Ms. Hunter asked unenthusiastically.  
  
Rising from his seat, "Do you believe Cole Collingsworth was a traitor?", he asked casually.  
  
The students seemed to wake from the daze at the name. Ms. Hunter stood frozen, frustration in her eyes.  
  
"Do not say his name in this classroom, young man.", she threatened firmly. "Or you could find yourself in severe trouble."  
  
"Why cant I say his name?", Duke protested. The classroom gasping at his boldness towards his teacher. "You used to say his name all of the time, he was a top student here."  
  
"Do not press me, Mr. McPherson.", she snapped. "Take your seat."  
  
"You take yours!", Duke blurted out loud. This was too bold even for him. "I asked you a question.", he quivered. "Now answer it, please."  
  
"You have seen the film footage, he killed slightly over one hundred people in that explosion.", she rebutted. "The government believes without a doubt that he is responsible for every single one of them, do you not trust the authorities of law?"  
  
"The Government is comprised of idiots!", Christie defied, rising from her seat as well. "Cole would never do that--the Sailor Soldiers would never do that! When will you stupid people realize that they have saved our lives for years. Why would they turn bad now?"  
  
"Exactly! Even my father agrees! The Sailor Soldiers saved him when his car almost exploded the day Matthew Holloman was killed!", Duke exclaimed.  
  
A thin redheaded young male arose from his chair as well. "Yeah! They saved my sister a few years ago when a weird girl tried to shoot her with this big gun!"  
  
"And one of them saved my grandpa when he was in a collapsing building almost 7 years ago!", a muscular black-haired male said, rising from his seat with the others.  
  
"They saved my whole family when our train went off track and almost collided with another train!", the final student said, joining the others. He was almost 6 and a half feet tall with beautiful green eyes and short brown hair.  
  
"They made us all feel safe!", Duke said "And yet we treat them like they are common filth!"  
  
"Cole is the sweetest person I know!", Christie reiterated "I know in my heart that he would do anything in his power to save all of us! Not hurt us!", she said passionately.  
  
"QUIET!", Ms. Hunter roared. "Every one of you take your damn seats now!"  
  
But none of them did, they stood proudly of what they believed in and no one would take that away.  
  
"You cannot stop us, Ms. Hunter. We all know we are right and the government is wrong! The Sailor Soldiers are our friends, not foes!", Duke said. "You don't control our opinions!"  
  
The door burst open with 10 SWAT team men swarmed into the classroom, armed and serious. The men quickly grabbed the students, cuffing their arms, guns to their backs.   
  
"Who are you!?", Duke yelled, struggling against the uniformed men.  
  
"We are the S.W.A.T team, and you 5 are possible threats!", one said.  
  
"This is ridiculous! How could you hear anything in this classroom!?" Christie yelled. The cuffs were making her arms red.  
  
"There are cameras all over this campus, little girl. This entire country is on red alert from possible terrorism by the Sailor Soldiers, we have every right to take you into custody for conspiracy."   
  
"You have no proof!", Christie defied. "There is no law that gives you the right to arrest us!"  
  
"Under the new Star Alliance code, effective today unanimously by congress and the house of Representatives, we can take any person of any age who may be conspiring and or promoting the Sailor Soldiers, can be taken into custody."  
  
The green eyed male struggled free of the officers. "We are not criminals! You have gotten everything wrong! The Sailor Soldiers are good, honest--"  
  
He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, another officer shot a tranquilizer dart directly into his neck, causing him to collapse into one of the SWAT officers grasp.  
  
Suddenly more officers burst through the steel blocks over the windows. The group of students were all carried away into the roaring helicopters waiting right outside.  
  
"THIS IS A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE!", Christie yelled loudly over the helicopter that she was shoved into. "LONG LIVE THE SAILOR SOLDIERS!"  
  
With a jolt of an armored door, the helicopter was shot and hovered up into the sky, taking all of the students with it. Even Ms. Hunter began to shake back in the classroom. The propellers sliced through the sky until it looked like just a tiny black to her.   
  
"No one is safe anymore, are they?", she said quietly to herself, packing all of her things in a box.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Cole and the others continued to walk in their Police Officer disguises out of the crater and onto empty desolate land that a forest once rested on. Cole heard a faint yell above him , the voice sounded so familiar.  
  
"Matt?", he asked quietly.  
  
"Yes, Cole?", he responded.  
  
"Did you hear something just right now?", he asked with great concern.  
  
Matt stared at him puzzled. "No. Why?"  
  
Cole was tempted to look back and just paused for a moment. He felt a tiny tear forming in his right eye and his breath became short, with every ounce of courage within him he just looked forward and no where else.  
  
"No reason.", he replied. 


	15. Chapter 15: Behind the Mask

Behind the Mask  
  
The sun had finally risen yet with the night unforgotten. Their first morning as outcasts had officially begun. Their present threats had been snuffed and a new frontier visible than before. Death made their fates so much more visible apparently. Every drop of blood seemed to make their path smoother yet their souls more vengeful and hurt.but that humanistic trait that rested within every one of them would feed off of this. The sick feeling of survival was what kept them walking and that is when the sun becomes an enemy. The sun means another days tragedy and another day to cry and curse, another day to break down like an eroded rock until one is just another grain of sand on a huge beach.  
  
It was no surprise to anyone that emotions were amplified on this special occasion. Despite their happiness to be together.alive that is.only hours ago, grief had taken its toll on them as it always had. That is what set them apart from their enemies. They had found themselves wondering subconsciously, their guises still intact, shielding them from the cruel world that stood against them.  
  
They were in some outskirts of the city, far away from the crater that they left behind in a once beautiful forest. Where they were now was more of a woodland, powerful and thick trees scattered abundantly with thousands upon thousands of leaves covering the dirt ground. Besides the crackling of leaves and the snapping of idol branches however, there was an awkward silence among all of them. There really was not much to talk about at this point. Everything was either too random, too insignificant, or too depressing or secreted to talk about so they just walked until they found themselves split into smaller bunches.  
  
Cole had unintentionally walked off with Matt, both several feet apart from the other, Drake seemed to be moving through the same path as David, and then Andrew at the very end of the others just wandered off alone in some strange circular path that he seemed to be making himself.  
  
Slouching lazily, Drake finally settled down on one of the trees and closed his eyes peacefully.  
  
"Tired, are we?", David joked dryly. Drake glared without amusement.  
  
"And you aren't?", Drake asked bluntly, really not even wanting an answer.  
  
"Of course I'm not. I don't get tired easily.", he replied in-a- matter-of-fact tone.  
  
"Oh give me a damn break!", Drake yelled in his aggravation. "Why do you have be such a goddamn smart-ass sometimes? Do you like to be disliked so much?", he groaned.  
  
"When those people are stupid cheerleaders for some sorry person and leader! Of coarse I do! It isn't my fault I am the only one who can see right through your god---"  
  
"Look!", Drake said fiercely "I don't know what you have against Cole, but he is a hell of a better leader than you could ever be!"  
  
David flinched as if the words were piercing his skin. "You want to know why I really don't like Cole!? It is because I don't trust him! I really cant believe a single word he says most of the time. He is a liar and a fraud. This whole good guy act is just to get buffoons like the rest of you to."  
  
He stopped in the middle of his sentence. Drake stood in front of him with an anger in his eyes and punched David in the face aggressively.  
  
David moaned for a few moments, couching on his knees and holding his jaw tightly.  
  
"I wish I could say you didn't deserve that one, David.", Drake said coolly, sitting back down against the tree.  
  
David remained on the leaves, his back to Drake. He made several strange sniffling sounds and an extended groan. "He killed Tony."  
  
Drake opened his eyes casually. "What?"  
  
"He killed Tony! I know.he did.", he bellowed, breathing irregularly.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? Tony was killed in battle, where did you ever get a screwed up idea like that?", Drake said skeptically.  
  
David slowly turned to Drake, his face covered with smeared tears. "Tony was my best friend! He wouldn't just 'be abducted'! I knew him better than that, he would have fought until the end!", he quivered. "I know with all of my heart that Cole had something to do with it! And when he killed Uranus, I just knew it! All of my dreams had unfolded in seconds! He killed Uranus because he was the only one that probably knew his filthy little secret! THAT is why I don't like Cole! Don't you see!?", Drake just stared emptily without response. "WELL DON'T YOU!?" *~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"They don't like me very much do they?", Andrew said softly to one of the trees, giving it a slight pause for response. "Really? I don't think so either. I really like them all. They are such nice people.but I always feel separate from them.  
  
Do you ever feel that way?", a small wind shook one of the tree's branches. "They all have this little thing. I cannot really describe it. Some bond that only a bystander can point out. They have all of these memories together.", he frowned.  
  
"And I feel so left out sometimes. I've been with them for a little over a year now, but I still feel like the new guy, ya know? I am always so afraid of what they think about me, especially when I get.frozen at some points. I don't mean to.", he said reassuringly ".but I just don't have the experience to cope with the demanding job of.saving the world.  
  
They can be so kind though. Always saying to not worry.and 'you'll learn', or 'you will get the hang of it'.but I always do worry, I haven't learned, and I am still getting the hang of it. This really gets to me sometimes.", he said, leaning on the tree instinctively. ".Oh. I'm sorry.", he said, standing up straight.  
  
"You want to know a secret?". The tree swayed gently. "This is my first real mission. I am serious. Things were so peaceful when I was recruited, but now with all of these horrible deaths, I feel so badly, because the team is falling apart and I feel like its all my fault. I'm sure they were much happier when that Tony guy or whoever was there. Its like I bring this dark cloud over my associates.", the tree swayed several times, bringing more leaves to the ground. "It is not stupid and I really try, but no one understands me." Several leaves fell on his head.  
  
"Not even, Cole. We get along pretty good, but I'm sure he is oblivious to our differences just as everyone else.", The leaves on the tree rustled quietly and it gave a single sway. "I really enjoyed your company as well.", he paused for its quiet response "Yeah.I wish people could be more like trees too."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Cole quietly observed his best friend who was sleeping peacefully underneath one of the trees. He always loved to watch Matt sleep, as strange as it sounded. Matt loved to talk in his sleep, and it was amusing when it seemed to be talking to him.  
  
Matt abruptly turned on his side. Mumbling quietly to himself. Cole crawled closer to listen to what he was saying. Everything still was just one long word and mindless babble. Cole began to crawl away.  
  
"Stop.", Matt mumbled eerily. A shiver went through Cole's spine. "No.why...I don't believe..Stop it. Be quiet! No..shut up..why are you saying that..Stop!", Matt's voice beginning to rise. "He would never!..dead....both.dead......roritat tobas tey horeoh!!", he chanted sadistically.  
  
Cole hysterically grabbed Matt and shook him repeatedly into consciousness. "MATT, WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"  
  
Matt opened his eyes, pushing his mad friend off of him. "What is your problem!?", he yelled "Where is the fire!?"  
  
Cole shook uncontrollably, "I'm sorry.", he breathed heavily "You were talking..and seizing.I didn't know what to do."  
  
"What are you talking about?", Matt asked uneasily.  
  
"Wha-", he swallowed "What were you d-dreaming about?"  
Matt turned away uncomfortably. "I-I dunno.stuff.I can't--I don't remember!", he glanced at Cole with more sympathy. "Cole.you have really been concerning me lately, what has been bothering you?"  
  
Cole trembled slightly. "I don't know, I cant close my eyes anymore, Matt."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I-I always see her, and I don't want to see her.", he answered reluctantly.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"C-Christie.I have had this strange feeling building up inside for a long time.I.She.Matt.do you think.that she thinks.that I had anything to do.with--"  
  
"Of coarse she doesn't!", Matt said reassuringly. "She would never believe what those idiots are saying! Never! And.And you better not either."  
  
"I know!", he yelled. "I really do know! Its just that.I miss her so much.and there are just so many things that I wish I could have said to her.before any of this could have happened. What.what if she is angry at me for not telling her about.you know.what if she doesn't know that I didn't tell her for her own good."  
  
"But she does!.", Matt said.  
  
"But if she doesn't.I don't know what I would do.I never even really told her how I felt about.us.and it is eating at me every day.I wanted to tell her.but I wasn't sure , I was really scared."  
  
Matt smiled slightly "She said she loved you didn't she?"  
  
Cole's eyes enlarged. "Ho-How did you guess that?!"  
  
"I could tell.", he smirked. "I am your best friend, remember? Not to mention clairvoyant. And I am also guessing you didn't say it back."  
  
"What was I supposed to do!", Cole blushed. "Everyone I have every loved has gotten hurt somehow! I wasn't sure if I was ready to commit! It was a matter of safety--"  
  
Matt interrupted. "Don't bullshit me, Cole.", he smiled. "You weren't sure if you would last and was afraid of rejection."  
  
"Okay, Matt!", Cole yelled. "You made your point! Thank you for not only giving me advice about a month too late, but also embarrassing me in the process!"  
  
"Cole.", Matt said seriously. "Do you want to know a little secret.just between you and me?"  
  
Cole looked solemnly "What is it, Matt?"  
  
Matt began to become slightly red. "I never really told anyone this.mainly for ego's sake.but I dated Christie almost 4 years.and she never told me that. Trust me Cole, she meant it. But the real question is.how do you feel about her?"  
  
Cole squirmed uneasily. 


	16. Chapter 16: Lullaby

Lullaby

_A solemn wind swirled quietly through the trees. It was daylight once again, but nothing had been resolved yet. Destinies still sat unknown and fates still shrouded by doubt and fear. _

It was their virtual first rest if one thought deeply enough. When else had they had two days rest without incident. Everything had become so vicious lately; Sirix was the first to strike, and soon after that Maddox and Radix had entered their lives. But now all three were idle, either dead or alive, they weren't threats anymore, just memories possibly better dead and gone than vital and pulsing. But that is the cruelness of memories, imaginary images--thoughts that can never be destroyed, dormant possibly, but never destroyed. A single glance, a step or two, possibly a blink of an eye could revive them, that is where the cruelness sets in. 

And disturbing yet true, is it not the horrid things that stay with us. Isn't it always infamy that infests our minds with nightmares that humans tend to remember. Would anyone truly remember or appreciate the Kennedy's if one their own was not shot dead in Dallas. Would most of our kind truly dislike that one president if he hadn't done what he did with that person. Which is more likely to remember, a woman carrying 9 babies in her womb or a statutory gunman?

Apparent or not, tragedy makes a great deal of our memories and is frequently ostracized and magnified in everyday life to give it more life than it really has. Television, movies, biographies all will more than likely try to fill one with sadness than laughter.

We are programmed to find a liking to tragedy and bloodshed, it makes life much more interesting that way, sickening as it is. Tragedy is much more a plot now than a surprise- it is very much expected. Yet tragedy is never always death or mass destruction, that would be extreme, tragedy can be very subtle and minute at times.

It is just easier to accept that we welcome problems into our lives, but it is uncanny how each time we react as if it was the first. Babies are born covered with blood, yet we never theoretically soak our lives into it, which is quite interesting to observe. That is very important to keep in mind most of the time, so a toast to problems. May you never die so you may never live. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

David stood alone, which never was strange, it was more peculiar when he wasn't. He didn't look the same as he once did. Granted he was disguised as a police officer, but his confidence and arrogance was something that always shined through even that. That was gone now. His face was dressed with a frown. He just stared out at a lake he had obviously found and would even more obviously keep to himself and away from the others. 

The lake was beautiful though. It looked as if it was decorated with diamonds and crystals from how much it sparkled in the light. 

His eyes watered slightly. Tony would have loved to see the water. That was his escape from the world, from everything. He would spend hours just staring at water with his own ocean colored eyes. 

A tide threw itself gently at his feet. Trembling, he reluctantly spoke through the silence. 

"I miss you very much, Tony. I miss you so much. Why can't you be here to watch this beautiful lake with me?", the clouds began to devour the sun. "You were the only one I could trust. You were the only one who could read my mind and know where I come from.", he looked down shamefully. "You would support me one hundred percent when I saw a flaw in Cole's judgment. You were never fake as they were.", seeing the irony he glared at his false reflection in the water. He clenched his fists. "I swear on your grave that you will be avenged. I swear it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Girls!", the boys giggled childishly in unison.

"Can't live with them!", Matt joked energetically.

"Can't live without 'em either!", Drake nudged whole heartedly.

They both laughed carelessly.

Cole entered the conversation equally lighthearted. "Well, well, well, big shot!", he joked sarcastically to Drake who laughed with him. "Isn't it true you have only had one girlfriend in your life!"

Drake blushed unknowingly.

"Really, I didn't know that?!", Matt smirked, adding to Drake's discomfort.

Drake, finally giving in, spoke. "One was all I needed."

The 2 others 'Oooed' playfully.

"So what happened?", Cole asked more seriously.

"Well.", Drake said coolly, his fingers going through his hair. "If you must know, I was dumped for some London guy she met on a vacation there. After that, I didn't really see the point in starting over again."

"Ooou. An Englishman.", Matt winked. "You know he saying, once ya go--"

"We got the picture!", Cole interrupted with a smile.

Matt, grinning evilly, spoke again. "So," he started ,beaming. "Any of you…you know…"

"Huh?", Cole answered naively. "What do you mean?"

"C'mon, Cole!", Drake prompted. "You know…"

"No. No, I don't.", he answered defensively.

"Ugh.", Drake groaned, whispering something into Cole's ear.

"That's inappropriate!", he exclaimed.

"Well, you don't need to yell it to the world.", Matt agitatedly replied. "It was just a question."

"No.", Cole smiled innocently. "And I don't want to either. I…", he started. "I want my first time to be perfect. With someone I truly love and someone who truly loves me." he said seriously. "I believe in old fashioned romance, believe it or not. Maybe to some it may seem stupid, but my goal in life is to find my soul mate and spend the rest of my life with them."

"Good luck!", Drake said thoughtlessly. "I mean, I would like to find my soul mate too, but that may never happen." he frowned. "But that's okay, I guess. And I suppose that I would rather just not even start. There is a lot of heartbreak that comes with girls."

"But in the long run its worth it!", Cole argued. "Once you find that special someone it doesn't matter! You can let go, not feel a pain in the world while you are with them!", he sighed enviously "I want someone who can make my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. Someone who I can whisk away without fear or regret!"

Drake groaned. "I guess you're right. But it seems a lot easier to be gay. Males are much easier to understand in my opinion."

Matt snorted. "I wouldn't say that in front of Mr. Homophobe. He really pisses me off when it comes to that subject."

"I'm assuming you mean David?", Cole asked.

"Yes!.", Matt answered. "I can't stand it. There is no reason anyone should hate someone just because they are different. Sure, we may not understand them, we may not even agree with them, but we shouldn't make fun of or look down at someone for something as idiotic as their race or preferences."

"Yeah, you're right.", Drake agreed, "But its very sad that there are millions of people who don't think so. And besides, David has some problems anyway. I have just learned to not listen to half the crap he says anymore."

Cole nodded in agreement when he noticed Andrew sitting away from them near a tree very quiet. "Hey, Andrew!", he yelled to get his attention. He looked up at him. "Wanna come join us? We are just being our stupid selves!", he joked. "C'mon over here!"

"Yeah, we don't bite!", Drake urged.

"No thank you.", Andrew said politely from the tree. "I'm fine."

"You sure?", Cole asked again.

"Yes."

"Okay! Just come on over whenever. We made a shelter a little earlier west of these trees. We'll be there later!", Cole said cheerfully.

"Okay."

Cole turned back around to his group. "So, where were we?"

Drake shrugged. 

"What about you ,Matt? Do you kn--", Cole started to ask. 

He stopped. Matt looked very disturbed, his palm over his forehead.

Drake and Cole ran to his side. 

"You okay, buddy?", Drake asked gently. "Maybe you should lye down."

"No!", he growled. The others moved back. "I mean, no thank you. I am not feeling very good. I- I need to go.", Matt said, getting on his feet.

"Hey, Matt, you sure?", Drake asked as Matt began to walk away.

"Let him go.", Cole frowned. "He gets like this when he has visions. Just leave him alone."

Matt ran to a secluded area of the woods where he briefly rested. He was breathing very heavily. He closed his eyes. He could hear water dripping in his head. His head ached very much but he continued to focus himself for whatever image that was trying to pry through his mind.

_He could see tides. Water. A lot of water…not quite an ocean…but a lake. It was so beautiful, like thousands of crystals and diamonds were floating in it. It was so shiny. He could smell the natural aroma from the water. So natural and pure…_

He opened his eyes. He needed to find the water. His mind was trying to tell him something about water. Blindly, he ran through the woods in search of it as his stomach burbled like a tide victim to the moon. Something was obviously wrong.

Winds whirled and threw themselves at him, as though they were trying to stop him from moving, but this instinctual need for water drove him against the force. 

The woods felt almost endless, but Matt continued to run, his eyes looking no where else but forward. Leaves crumbled at his stride, but tree branches started to break in front of him. He didn't care at all though. He needed to see the water now. 

He continued to run but then suddenly he tripped and fell over something onto his face. He yelled in pain, clutching his knee. Reluctantly he put his palm in front of his face, it was covered with blood from his knee. _Great_, he thought to himself. He picked up the cause: a now crushed tree branch.

This bringing him back to his senses he felt somewhat foolish to continue his search. "It must of just been a false alarm.", he said to himself and began to walk back. The winds luckily had ceased and would make it easier to walk back. 

He walked away feeling silly, but then he heard it once again. _Drip Drop. Drip Drop. _ It must have been real. He began to go into his water frenzy again and ran forward toward the sound. Taking a quick glance at the clouds he groaned; a storm was brewing. 

Almost on cue a single bolt of thunder roared and thousands of rain drops began to fall. The winds pushed against him again, but now he heard slashing, there had to be a body of water someplace. He stepped through the mud until he found himself facing a large wall of fog. Incautiously he stepped through it anyway and much to his avail. 

He found it. He was so excited. It looked even more beautiful than it did in his head. He had never been so happy to see water in his life, he had always feared it. But he was overjoyed. 

His skin was powder white and he was entirely soaked by the storm that still raged. He looked around, he had left a large trail of footprints in the mud leading to where he stood, but curiously enough there was another set of footprints headed away from the water. _Maybe David was here_, he thought.

Satisfied as he was, he was ready to go back to the others. There was nothing to see, maybe his vision was just telling him about the storm. He longed to see his friends now, he couldn't wait to tell them about the lake and began to walk away. 

Then a voice went through his head. He was hearing a heavenly sound. He wondered who would be at the lake during a storm like this. It was obviously a young woman, her voice was so enticing, yet familiar. She was singing something that he couldn't understand. It sounded like babble or maybe a foreign language, but he felt so warm on the inside.

Against his better judgment he turned back to find the source of the song, but his legs were frozen stiff. The sounds were rendering his body motionless. Through the mist he could see a small silhouette in front of his eyes that was become more clear and larger. 

His eyes widened. It was Christie who emerged from the fog, her song still active. Matt had never seen her so stunning and gorgeous before. She wore a long white gown that touched the ground and her nipples so stiff and alive. Her long brown hair was soaked and her bangs hang over her cheeks. 

Subconsciously he moved slowly towards her until he was inches from her nose.

Firmly, Matt decided to speak to her, without giving away his identity. "What is a young lady such as yourself out here during such a dangerous storm."

She stopped her song. "To be with you, Matt.", she said softly.

Chills went through his spine. How could she know who he was?

He was so taken aback. "I-I don't know who you are talking about, Miss. You should probably be leaving now."

Christie smiled and put her finger over his lips. "You don't need to lie, Matt. I dreamed you would be here.", she said, grabbing him by the neck, slipping her tongue into him. 

Matt absorbed in the moment, held her for a moment, but then pushing her away from him. "Stop it, Christie!", he yelled impulsively, but immediately regretted. 

Christie giggled. "You know my name. You must be, Matt. Hold me.". She moved her head forward for another kiss, but Matt quickly pushed her away.

"Matt, I need you!", Christie pleaded, "Please don't leave me! I have waited so long to hold you in my arms! I am in love with you, Matt. Sailor Mars or not, you are my true love!", she cried, holding his chin.

Matt frowned and turned his head away. "I have no idea where you came from, or how you know who I am, but I would never betray Cole. Never. You have to leave now before you get yourself killed, Christie."

Christie stared at him with fire and passion in her eyes. "Matt, I love you and I don't ever want to let you go."

Gently she pushed him onto the mud affectionately , Matt frozen.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cole laid quietly on his side staring at the Moon, wondering about Matt. He hadn't come back since he left earlier that day. He felt a sinking feeling in his heart. Something didn't feel right at all.

Suddenly the shelter rumbled. Hoping it would be Matt, Cole looked around optimistically. But his heart sunk. It was just David who had also been gone all day. Avid looked very tired. He was totally soaked and his skin was bloodied with scratch marks.

"Where have _you _been?", Cole asked skeptically.

"The woods.", he said coldly.

"Have you seen Matt?"

"No."

Reluctantly, Cole dropped the subject, and began to close his eyes, hoping to dream. Hopefully Matt would be back in the morning, he was probably just clearing his thoughts.. 

Slowly he began to drift into a light sleep, random images coming and going through his head. He could see two chairs and strangely enough, he was sitting on one of them. His heart jumped. George was sitting in the other! Cole leaped off of the chair.

"George! I am so glad you are here! I never had the chance to thank you! You saved us all, I owe my life to you, George!", Cole exclaimed.

George frowned at him. He didn't seem nearly as at peace as he did before.

"George? What is wrong?", he asked. His smile was still very strong. He was so happy to see him.

"Cole.", George said solemnly. "I am afraid there is a traitor among you."

Cole's slowly lost his smile and stood in silence.


	17. Chapter 17: Insomnia

Chapter 17: Insomnia  
  
Dawn looked upon the world with its warm gleam once again. A new day was born at last, slowly eating through the darkness of night. The young men were all gathered outside of their shelter, with the exception of Cole and Matt, rejuvenated and ready for a new day's opportunity.  
  
Drake smiled warmly, mornings were always his favorite time of the day. He stared at the trees and gave himself to the breeze. There was a faint, but powerful aroma of dew from the storm the night before.   
  
"Is it just me, or is today ridiculously beautiful today?" he asked, his smile still intact.  
  
David rolled his eyes at Drake's newly found perk. "Get a hold of yourself," he said coldly. "You are starting to sound more like Cole every day."   
  
Drake glared at David angrily, ready to finish what they had started the other day. "Look, David!" he started, but quickly coming to his senses he paused. "Hold on? Where is Cole anyway? And Matt too!"  
  
"Cole is still asleep. I didn't want to wake him up. He seems really upset about something." Andrew answered from a small corner by a tree.  
  
"And Matt never came back last night," David added. "He still hadn't come back when I went to bed."   
  
"And you?" Drake asked. "You had been gone quite some time too. Where were you?"  
  
David frowned. "I was out. In the woods."  
  
"Doing?" Drake asked skeptically.   
  
"Doing none of your damn business!" David snapped. "How do I know you weren't gone all night too? Can you answer that, Columbo?"  
  
"He has Cole, Matt, and I for alibis. He was here the whole time." Andrew said shyly.  
  
David turned red with anger. "I didn't ask you, Dickinson! Tell it to the trees."  
  
"Hey! Leave Andrew out of this, David!" Drake defended. "Where is your damn alibi?!"  
  
"Its up your ass!" David growled.  
  
"Trouble in paradise already?" Matt said from behind David.   
  
Drake's eyes widened. "Matt! Where were you?"  
  
"Oh god, not again!" David pleaded. "Who the hell cares!? I don't care. He isn't dead or hurt, so just drop it already!"  
  
Matt looked puzzled at Drake.  
  
"Don't ask." Drake groaned. "Long story."  
  
"Ah." He said uncertainly "Anyway, I was caught in the storm, I had to make camp by this beautiful lake across this side of the woods. Where's Cole?"  
  
"Asleep apparently." David answered.   
  
Matt frowned. "Still. He usually loves the mornings. Maybe I should go check up on him."   
  
"I wouldn't do that." Andrew cautioned. "I don't think he wants visitors."  
  
Matt smirked. "I have known Cole for a long time, Andrew. I'm sure he is just tired."  
  
Matt walked quietly toward the shelter they had made for sleeping. Through the crevice shrouded by leaves and two large trees's he stepped inside. It was so quiet, he was not used to the shelter being so still and silent.   
  
"Cole?" he whispered. "Cole, you awake? It's Matt."  
  
  
  
He heard a slight rumble ahead of him. Matt looked down. Cole was lying face on his side, his face covered in a shadow. Matt sighed with relief. He kneeled over beside Cole.   
  
Slowly Matt reached for Cole's shoulder. Cole jumped up impulsively. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" he roared.   
  
Matt fell back on his behind. He was startled. He blinked his eyes once; Cole's face was coming into focus. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Cole's eyes drooped and were covered with black circles.   
  
"C-Cole? Are you okay?" Matt asked frightened. "You don't look so good buddy." Cole gave him no answer but rather stared at him. "Did you get enough sleep last night?"  
  
Cole looked to George who sat beside him.   
  
"Go ahead, answer him. I doubt he is the one." George told him.  
  
Matt looked at Cole with concern in his eyes. "What are you looking at, Cole?" he asked calmly.  
  
Cole turned back to him. "I need to be alone now, Matt.", he answered hoarsely.  
  
"Sure, Cole." Matt frowned. "Whatever you want." Slowly he began to walk away.  
  
Cole rested back on his side, his back to George, his eyes never closing. 


	18. Chapter 18: The Awakening

            Cole's eyes winced spastically as he clutched his scepter, staring at his reflection through the sparkly jewel at its peak. He was still alone in the shelter and not a second of sleep to show for it. Adrenaline pumped through him, keeping his moving and functioning but leaving his face covered with sweat and fatigue.

            "Who is it?" he asked aloud to his reflection. "Are you going to tell me? Tell me! I need to know. I can't take this anymore. I said no deaths! I cannot take another death! The last time there was a traitor…" his hands quivered. "I lost three soldiers. I can't handle it anymore. How dare he betray me-whoever he is," he groaned with tears forming in his eyes. "HOW DARE HE!" stabbing his palm with the staff. 

            Blood spread from the small wound. Cole put his hand to his mouth and licked it clean. 

            "David…" he growled lowly. "I know it!" That bastard! Plotting against me, after all I have done for him! He is planning wrong against ME?! George!" he called "George! Where are you?!"

            "I am beside you, Cole." George answered calmly. 

            Cole looked to him with pleading truth with his eyes. "George, it is David who is the traitor, isn't it?"

            "Cole. I have told you before, I don't know who yet. You just have to be careful. At this point anyone is viable. Even Matt." 

            Cole's eyes filled with tears. "George! You told me!"

            "I told you I did not think so." He frowned. "If I had told you I did think so, you would have panicked and made it look obvious. As you always do I might add." Cole glared at him. "Let's face it Cole, you wear your emotions on your sleeve, and that can be your downfall around the wrong people."

            "So what are you saying?"! Cole snapped. "Matt, my best friend, my be planning to kill me! Is that what you are saying?!"

            "I did not say that, Cole."

            "Then say what the hell you mean! I cannot sleep because of you, George!" he protested, "If millions of people's lives are on the line, then tell me what the hell you mean!"

            "I cannot talk to you while you are like this." George said as he slowly began to pale and fade away.

            "No.", Cole pleaded hysterically. "Don't leave me! Don't go, George!" leaping at his fading figure, falling through him and on his chest. "George! I need you! Don't leave! I will be calm! I swear, just please don't go!"

            George was completely faded away now. Cole clenched his fists and slammed them at the ground, his hair flung over his dark eyes.

            The entrance to the shelter fumbled open and Drake walked calmly through with a feigned everything-will-be-okay smile on his face.

            Cole just stared at the ground on his palms and knees not giving Drake a single look. "Go away", he groused.

            Drake's smile faded. "Cole, we are really worried about you. You haven't slept for at least two days, haven't eaten or even gone to the bathroom as far as I know. We have all been outside thinking of ways to make you feel better."

            "No you haven't." Cole snarled. "You have all been out all morning feasting on berries while David has been making Prozac remarks about me and Matt saying I scared the crap out of him when he saw me." He snapped, glaring up at his companion. "Is that your idea of _thinking of ways to make you feel better._" He mocked rudely.

            Drake looked at him both puzzled and speechless. "If you have been here all day, how did…did you-"

            "_He _told me," he answered bitterly.

            "He as in…?"

            "Just get out!", he sneered, revealing his black-circled eyes to Drake. 

            Feeling as if there was no more he could say to him, Drake moved toward the exit. "Cole, I cannot speak for the others, but I am your friend. I will always be there for you." 

Drake slowly walked out to find the others crowded around him for details. Discreetly he motioned with his head to move farther away from the entrance. They did as he signaled and they all sat on the ground, waiting to know the status of Cole.

Negatively, Drake shook his head to cause 2 frowns and one unaffected expression. 

"He just doesn't want to talk, guys. I don't know why, but he is very upset." Drake informed.

"I could have told you that.", David added darkly.

"Shut up, David!", the others yelled in unison.

"He really needs to sleep. He was looking at something yesterday, like some imaginary person. Its almost as if he is…", Matt looked to his sides, and in fear of Cole hearing him he whispered softly. "Delirious."

"I felt like he was talking to someone too right before I came in.", Drake added.

"Why don't we all go and try to pep him up a little." Drake suggested optimistically.

  
            David rolled his eyes with an 'ugh' "Why don't you all just leave him alone! He will get over it sometime, if you suppress him he will just sulk more."

Drake glared threateningly at David. 

Matt quickly intervened "Maybe, David is right. Why don't we just give him some space? It couldn't hurt…and maybe before anything serious happens he will feel better and everything will be fine! Right?"

Drake reluctantly nodded his head.

"See!" David said with a sarcastic smile. "Maybe listened to me more than you do telling me to shut up, we could have solved this problem hours ago!"

Matt and Drake looked at each other and then to David. "Shut up, David."

Ignoring both of them, David stood back up and started to walk off. "I'm going into the woods."

"Don't call us, we'll call you!" Drake yelled sarcastically.

David made a swift notion with his hand and continued to walk off. Matt couldn't help but smirk.

"Hey, Drake, can you help me up?" Matt asked. "My knee is really banged up, and I don't even remember how I did it."

Drake looked at Matt curiously. "That's strange." He held out his hand and then noticing strange cut marks all over his arm. Pulling Matt up he looked at him seriously. "Matt, where did all of those cuts on your skin come from?"

"Huh?" Matt asked, looking down at his arm. "Oh. Nothing, I guess I got them from when I was caught in that storm the other day."

"Oh," Drake replied softly. "David had a lot of scratches too. All over him."

"Wasn't he out in the storm too?" Andrew added from the side.

"Yeah."

"Then that is probably why I guess."  Matt reasoned. 

"I guess so," staring at Matt's arm.

Matt began to walk off slowly, as if in pain. Suddenly he turned back around to Drake. "Hey, um, is it just me, or is it extremely hot right now?"

Drake looked at him concernedly. "No, it feels fine to me. Why?"

Matt collapsed on the ground as Drake and Andrew quickly came to his aid. 

"Drake, I don't feel very well at all." Matt said sickly. 

His pupils dilated rapidly back and forth and his skin shook heavily. 

"We need to get you some help!" Andrew panicked "But where?!"

Matt was losing all control of his body movement and all through his mind were random flashes of buildings._ Tall skyscrapers, thousands of them, each one larger than the other, just stood everywhere. Now he heard screams_, _but he could not see any of the people making them. He could see Andrew and Drake in flashes. In one split of a second he could see them, trying to hold him down, and in the other half he could see the buildings yet the screams would never die. 'Was this some sort of vision?' he thought to himself. His visions had never caused him so much pain before though. A city! That was what he was sensing, a city. But why? The thought then hit him. The buildings began to vanish._

Matt jolted forward, out of his strange episode, disoriented and dizzy. 

"Matt! How are you feeling?" Drake asked. 

Matt blinked several times and held his head to focus his thoughts. All of his pain had stopped and he felt normal aside from his dizziness. Ignoring Drake, matt subconsciously lifted himself back onto his feet. The wound on his knee did not hurt him anymore. 

"Matt? Can you hear us?" Andrew asked, both him and Drake rising up with Matt.

Matt looked at both of them with a mixture of fright and sincerity in his eyes. "We need to go back to the city."


	19. Chapter 19: To the City

Back to the City

"Back to the city!" David yelled irritably at the other 3 "You are all full of crap if you think I am going back there! Why don't you just put a damn sign on your back that says, "Shoot me, please"!"

Matt glared furiously. "David, you should know by now that when I have a vision that says something like this to me, it is without a doubt true! It's like…It's like going to the bathroom!" he rationalized slowly. "When you are little, you don't know what's a false alarm, and what's a rug murderer, but when you are grown up you know! You-just do, David, and right now, I know!" 

David rolled his eyes more frustrated than convinced. "Ya know, you could also say that everyone has an accident now and then. Maybe it was just…you know, and accident! We are lucky we have not been found here!" he urged with his eyes "Let alone the city, which is probably infested with cops, all of which have been training to get one of their copper bullets into our skulls!"

Drake impulsively threw his hand onto David's shoulder. "But we have also helped every one of those cops in some way for years. Maybe if we come to help, and I know with no doubt that they will need some in the near future, that maybe we can fix all of this."

David looked into Drakes deep green eyes, losing his confident smile for a moment, but then squirming his shoulder out of Drake's grip. "Why can't they fight their own battles? They obviously don't believe us because they certainly don't trust us."

"Is that what this is about!?" Matt pressed. "Trust? Are you mad at the city for shunning us?"

"Well I am definitely not happy about it!" David glared defensively.

"But without them, our job is meaningless," Drake reasoned. "I mean, sure, we may not have said any hypocritical oath, but…"

"It's the Hippocratic oath," David interrupted rudely.

"Whatever." He glared responsively. Continuing, "…The point is, we protect the wronged through rain, sleet, or snow…"

"That is for mailmen!" David corrected curtly.

"I know that!" Drake snarled.

Matt closed his eyes for a moment and opened them with more patience focus. "Fine, David." He said calmly. "You don't want to go. Are you sure?"

"Damn straight," he answered fiercely.

"Fine." Matt sighed. "Don't go."

David smiled triumphantly. "Finally! For the first time, you listen to me!" he yelled ecstatically "Listen, you will totally thank me when we are all alive ten years from now!"

Drake and Andrew groaned quietly.

"What do you mean?" Matt frowned coolly. "I said _you _are not going. Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, and I are. We are going to do our jobs."

David chortled sarcastically. "Ha. Ha. Ha. As if Cole is going to snap out of his Prozac moment to get his little uniform on and fight. You are stupider than I thought, Matt."

Matt paid no attention to his insult. "That is just fine. I'll lead then." Turning around to Drake and Andrew he spoke normally with a smile. "Andrew, get the Luna Pen, I think we should change into something different. They might have found out Officer Brady and the others were fake. Maybe tourists. Or maybe Reporters…or both!"

David shook his head in denial. "You aren't serious are you? I really hope so."

Matt looked at him emptily. "You are right, David. I wasn't serious."

David gave a sigh of relief. "That's good to know."

"It is." Matt frowned. "Reporters are too obvious. Tourists it is." He turned around to the others. "Hey wait up!" he yelled, running to them as they hurriedly walked to get the Luna Pen.

     David just glared off at them all while they walked away, his fists clenched and his arms shaking heavily. "Enjoy." He grumbled to himself, storming back into woods. 

Finally catching up to the others, Matt quickly swerved himself in front of them before they could enter the shelter.

"Where's the fire?" Drake asked humouredly.

"I was wondering if we should ask Cole to go with us." Matt asked quietly in fear of waking or angering Cole.

"He needs to know. Maybe this will get him out of there and back to normal again." Andrew shrugged. 

"And besides, he is gonna wanna know why you need the pen." Drake added.

Matt frowned uneasily. "I don't know. I doubt he would care. He seemed pretty bad when I saw him. But I better go get it by myself. All of us might make him upset."

They both nodded and Matt slowly crept into the shelter entrance, weary yet prepared for a scene from Cole. Everything seemed so dark; the entrance had been completely sealed off by leaves and twigs. Turning his head around he looked back at the entrance. Boldly he opened it slightly for light to see.

A single ray of light beamed through the crevice and skinned directly at Cole's hand, which laid idol with the palm face up.

Matt opened the door evermore slightly, just enough to see his shoulder, or maybe his arm, just something to tell him something about his state of mind.  

His heart jumped. He heard something. A mumble or something. Why did he feel so guilty now? He felt so strange, but he needed that pen, before it was too late.

Curiously, he made the crevice wider which showed his lower torso and strangely enough the mumbling was louder.

"What, Cole?" Matt asked darkly. "I didn't do anything." He said impulsively.

The mumbling was louder, yet he could not understand a word of it. Sweating and nervous he boldly marched up to his side to hear what he was saying, once and for all.

_Zzzzzzpheekuuzzzzpheeekuuu_

Matt blushed embarrassedly. Those sounds were his snores. He was finally getting some sleep and Matt had never felt happier for him. 

Matt frowned though. Now he had to wake him from it. He wondered what he was dreaming though, was he even dreaming at all? What was keeping him awake in the first place?

He almost felt guilty that he had to wake him, like he had to murder him. What if he could not fall asleep again? Never. All because of him. He shook the silly thought out of his head and gently shook him.

He did not respond at all. He shook him one more time, this time less gently.

He saw what he had been longing to see for a long time. Cole smiled warmly, the black circles under his eyes faded away. 

"Morning Matt.", Cole smiled. 

 Matt couldn't help but to smile back, "Nice to see you buddy, but its 5 in the afternoon.

Cole looked at him in disbelief. "You serious? Wow. How long did I sleep?"

"You tell me." Matt said.

Cole frowned. "I don't know. I had trouble sleeping. That's all."

Suddenly Matt's objective hit him. "Cole! I totally forgot, I need the Luna Pen, really fast. I had a vision and we have to go back to the city, ASAP."

"I can't go." Cole blurted.

"Why not?"

"I can't I feel very very bad. The Luna Pen is…umm…Over my neck!" he answered, quickly snapping the tiny staff off of his silver chain. "I hope things aren't as bad as they sound, but I can't go. Sorry. I need to be alone now, Matt."

Matt looked at him hesitantly but grabbed the staff. "David refuses to go, Cole. We really need our leader by our side."

"I said I can't go." Cole insisted.

"O-Okay.", Matt answered, walking toward the exit. "I am sorry I asked so much of you." He added sarcastically and exited.

Drake quickly ran to Matt. "Is he coming?"

Matt glared in frustration. "No. But I did get the pen," flashing the shiny rod to Drake and Andrew who quickly followed Drake. "So what is it, reporters or civilians? Take your pick."

"I dunno. You decide, Andrew." Drake shrugged.

Andrew smiled. "Lets have two reporters and a cameraman!"

"Done." Matt said unenthusiastically. He threw his hand into the air. "_LUNA PEN, CHANGE ME INTO A REPORTER!_"

_Bang!_ A cloud of smoke covered Matt and as it began to blow over, a thin blue eyed male with pearly white teeth and perfect blonde hair emerged. 

"Wow." Andrew commented and taking the pen from Matt. "_LUNA PEN, CHANGE ME INTO A REPORTER!"_

Another _Bang!_ From the yellow smoke came Andrew as a bowl-headed, buck-toothed male with curly brown hair and olive eyes emerged. Not his ideal result.

Andrew hid his frown while Drake and even Matt tried to hide their laughter. Andrew firmly handed the pen to Drake.

"Remember, you are a cameraman." Andrew said bitterly.

Ignoring his tone, Drake held up the pen. "_LUNA PEN, CHANGE ME INTO A CAMERAMAN!"_

The final, but loudest _bang! of all sounded._ The yellow smoked quickly faded away and Drake walked forward as an over-weight, chubby-cheeked man with wavy brown hair, a large camera over his shoulder, one hand holding up the camera, and the other with a donut in it.

Both Matt and Andrew could not hold their laughter, both hysterically bursting into loud laughs that made the birds flee. Not wanting to bring attention, they quickly quieted down, but held very amused smirks.

Drake glared with his red face and bit the donut impulsively. To his surprise, his face was covered with sticky jelly. It was a filled donut. 

The other two looked away without comment.

Pretending as if his laughs were coughs, Matt took the pen from Drake's pocket and made his way to the shelter. "I'm gonna…", holding back his laughter "I'm gonna give the pen back to Cole, just in case somebody comes into the shelter."

Matt quickly walked in an out, obviously not saying a word to Cole.

"Scepters?" he asked.

"Check!" Andrew and Drake answered in unison, holding their scepters out.

"Good." Matt replied, clutching his.

They put their scepters together in a triangular formation, closed their eyes and hummed in unison.

"_Sailor…Planet…Transport." _They chanted in unison.

"The Park." Matt whispered.

The forest filled with glimmers of red, blue, and green as a sphere of bright energy formed over the young men. One blast sound and the sphere was gone and the boys with it, maybe not as a whole, but strong as ever.


	20. Chapter 20: The Gathering

Chapter 20:Gathering

__

*a/n* Hello all! This is the 20th chapter of "The Starlight Soldiers" I really appreciate all of you and your opinions and feedback mean more to me than you can ever know. Now, I know the story has been kinda dull lately, but I promise, just hang in there, and everything will be fine. BTW, you all rock. J *a/n*

Slowly and progressively Christie opened her eyes with hope that everything had been a sick, but untrue dream. Maybe if she just opened her eyes slowly she would be back home where she belonged. Where her heart belonged. Where her life belonged. She couldn't be in prison, the whole incident seemed so stupid and unjust which caused her to believe even more truly that it was a dream, nothing more, nothing less.

Her heart sunk. She had no idea where she was but she could already feel a loathe for it. 

It looked like an extended metal-plated, circular room. It smelled musky and damp, like a cavern that one tours. It was a shock to be sleeping in something so cold and empty. She lifted her head off of the floor, she felt groggy as if just drugged. She didn't doubt it either. Now that she saw the room right side up it seemed to be more a large metal pipe.

_Clink………clack…………Clink………clack._

Christie groaned. The room was leaking. 

She looked down at her fingers and almost burst into tears. Her rings were gone, every one of them was now missing, even the one Cole had given her on their first anniversary. That ring gave her strength. Then she noticed that all of her jewelry was gone. The only possession she had were the clothes on her back. 

_Conspiracy my ass, she thought bitterly._

Slowly she lurched herself up, she felt somewhat lightheaded still. Slowly she crept forward to see if she if the others were nearby. She needed somebody to talk to, it could be quite some time before the government realizes its mistake and releases them all. She already felt lonely in the few minutes she was awake. 

__

Losing patience with her search she cupped her hands over her mouth. _"Anybody here?!"_

Her voice bounced endlessly throughout the chamber until she became sick of her own sound. 

Drained of her little energy she spun to the side and slowly sat back on her rear. It was so humid that sweat streamed down her temples and under her chin. She hated this prison, she hated it so much. She hated everything that everyone thought about her friends and how the whole country was becoming victim to a large witch hunt. She wondered how many others had been unjustly thrown into a holding cell like she was now--just for speaking their minds and to make people see where their error was. Was that not what the entire country was founded on?

Her anger filled her with enough strength to stand again. She took a deep breath and belted out the first words that came to her mind "GET OVER HERE!"

Her own words sent her aback. Weakly, she rested on her knees and took several heavy breaths.

Christie's eyes jerked to the side, she heard footsteps over the dripping-they sounded like an oyster snapping angrily at predators. Then she shivered nauseously. What if she didn't want to be found after all? What if the person who heard her was an angry guard ready to blindfold and shoot her on sight? Maybe they would drug her again , or tranquilize her like they did to that tall guy in the classroom. Impulsively she got up and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. Could she really run from someone in a concealed chamber in the darkness with no one to help her? Preoccupied in her thoughts she slipped forward and came sliding down the unleveled chamber. She could see nothing but the gray haze that floated around her and several forest green poles that seemed to be located randomly throughout the room. 

She clawed instinctively with her nails to stop sliding forward but to no avail, the floor must have been covered with a layer of water. She gave a loud shriek, she could see descending stairs ahead. She held her eyes tightly shut having no idea how many steps could be in front of her. Finally she felt no floor beneath her--she was over the first step. Screaming frightfully she rolled quickly down the steps and subconsciously counted how many she felt beneath her. _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven---_she felt no more steps and simply rolled several more times and plopped forward on her rear. 

She moved her arms away from her face slowly and the room she had rolled into spun rapidly. She blinked continually until everything could slowly come back into focus. Unlike the chamber above, this room was lit fairly well in comparison. She could see several feet in front of her in the dim light. Before she could move she reluctantly examined herself to see the injuries she had made on the way down. No bleeding but she felt a bruising pain on her rear, something she felt couldn't be too serious. Thankful for this she slowly stood up and could hear the footsteps again. She looked up the stairway with her eyes squinted and her fists clenched. She was not about to roll down another staircase. She marched up the steps, her bottom aching with pain, and faced the dilating silhouette.

"Bring it!", she yelled at the figure "C'mon, I can take you!"

The single figure just ignored her and continued to move forward.

"Take this!", Christie cried recklessly as she sprung her leg into the crouch of the shadow. 

The figure gave a high pitched sound of deep pain and fell forward at her. Christie held her head up victoriously as her foe fell at her feet.

The figure was Duke.

Christie looked down and gasped. She kneeled quickly at his side.

"Oh my god! I am so so sorry, Duke!" she said guiltily "I didn't know Duke! I thought you were a government guy! I-I", helping him up.

"Don't worry about it.", Duke groaned as she carefully helped him up. "I'm okay.", he lied. "How are you doing?", he asked with a feigned smile.

Christie had never felt so badly and foolish before in her life. She ignored his question for the meanwhile and led Duke cautiously down the steps. 

She could hear more footsteps but now refused to storm towards these as she did before. She slowly sat Duke on the floor who still held his stomach queasily. 

Slowly she could see what looked like 3 male figures at the stairway.

"Anybody need help down there?", the tallest figure called.

Getting a good feeling from these figures, Christie boldly met them at the top step. Her intuition was correct. They were the three other boys from the classroom.

"Hello.", Christie smiled warmly at the tallest one who domed over her by almost 2 feet.

"Hello.", he smiled back awkwardly. "I'm Basil.". 

Christie just lost herself in his beautiful green eyes, Basil had to be one of the most gorgeous boys she had ever laid eyes on…but every glance she made at him reminded her of Cole, he only true love, and her girlish daze slowly faded away.

"My name is Riley, how do you do?", asked the more-normal-sized, raven haired male who also had stunning hazel eyes.

"Nice to meet you.", Christie replied. Then she looked to the thin redheaded male. "And you?", she asked him.

The boy looked terrified and jumped nervously at the question. Basil and Riley stared embarrassedly at him.

"Are you okay?", Christie asked him sympathetically. 

The youthful looking redhead looked at her tensely with his royal blue eyes. "I-I am so so-sorry. I am not used to pretty girls asking my name.", he said genuinely, shielding his face in fear of getting slapped.

Christie blushed and could feel Duke's eyes rolling behind her. "I am so flattered. Well, since it's obvious we all never got acquainted at school, I am Christie everybody.", she smiled. "So what was your name again?"

"I am Jonah--Jon if you want."

"And I am in pain, so get over here!", Duke yelled sarcastically from behind. The three boys looked over at him skeptically and walked down the steps with Christie.

Basil quickly took a look at Duke and a smile stretched across his face. "Duke! There you are, we have been looking for you. Why don't you look so good?", he asked.

Christie quickly turned red, she felt quite obligated to explain. "Well, you see, I accidentally--"

"Nothing!", Duke interrupted, "Just tired."

"At least you didn't get a large dart in your neck, if its any consolation," Basil added kindly.

"That just reminds me of how much I hate it here.", Christie groaned. "We need to make a plan to get out of here! Now who is with me?"

"Sounds good to me.", Riley agreed. "We need to prove once and for all that the Sailor Soldiers are saviors, not killers!"

"Then its settled.", Duke rallied. "Time to get out of here!"

"Yeah!", they all happily yelled in unison.

"That is a stupid idea that will only kill all of you.", a voice projected from nowhere.

Christie looked around uneasily to the sides and behind her. "Who said that?"

The boys shrugged and also looked around themselves.

"I did.", said the same voice from before. He was louder now, so he couldn't be far away.

Stepping into the field of dim light was yet another boy. This one was slightly taller than Duke, was unshaven and had a speck of darkness in his deep green eyes.

"And who exactly are you?", Duke asked defensively.

"I am Devon.", he sneered. "I have been locked up since Cole Collingsworth has been wanted for murder."

"And yet you still want to stay in here when there is something worth fighting for outside?", Christie asked firmly.

"You don't understand.", he urged "You don't realize how safe we are down here. Hundreds of feet below ground. When the worst strikes--and it will, I can feel it in my gut, we will be safe--we will survive!"

Christie took a long look at the sincerity and passion in his eyes. "But…"

"Trust me! Please, that is all I ask.", he pleaded.

"So who else is here if you have been here so long?", Duke asked critically. He obviously had something against Devon.

"Nobody besides you five I suppose.", he glared back at Duke. Slowly he shifted his eyes back to Christie and the others. "I swear that I know what I am talking about. Just trust me, that is all I ask."

"Fine.", Duke answered reluctantly. "What do you guys think?", turning to the others.

"Sounds like a plan.", Riley answered with his arms coolly crossed over his chest.

The others nodded with him.

Christie put her palm over her forehead , she felt drowsy and lightheaded still.

"Are you okay, Christie?", Duke asked, slowly laying her on the floor. "Rest for a little while."

"Yeah Christie, we need all the rebels we can get.", Basil smiled light humouredly.

Christie laughed softly.

"Well we will let you rest Christie. Get all the rest you can get." Riley nodded as he, Basil, Jonah, and Devon walked up the steps, Duke still at her side.

Duke looked at Christie, so innocent and cute as she rested, he couldn't help but to smile at even a single glance at her. "Christie…", he asked quietly.

"Huh?", she answered groggily.

"I…well…I wanted to ask you…when we get out of this prison…and go back home and all…I wanted to know if maybe you would want to have dinner with me…or together, you know? What do you say?", Duke asked optimistically.

"I'm sorry Duke, I can't.", Christie answered. "My heart is taken already by a wonderful person.", a tear streamed down her face. "I miss him so much."

"Sailor Saturn?", Duke asked.

Christie wriggled herself forward. "To be honest, I didn't even know there was a Sailor Saturn until recently."

"Really?"

"Yeah.", wiping the tear away with her hand. "I found out when they reported it live on the news. And you know its funny.", she sniggered softly. 

"What?"

"Well, I had been with Cole's best friend Matt for a while…and I did like him a lot, Matt is a great guy…but I had always had a crush on Sailor Saturn. A silly crush. He saved my life several times and I cant explain it, I just could never get him out of my mind…so much that I couldn't be with Matt anymore. Then I met Cole, and it was funny, he reminded me so much of Sailor Saturn, the way his eyes lit up when he talked, the way he laughed, the way he just made me feel in general ya know?"

Duke nodded.

"And ever since then, my crush sorta faded, but now that I know, it makes me feel as if--as if Cole and I were meant to be together because when I am around him…I feel like I can fly…I could live with him for years and he can still make my stomach turn like it was the first day. I just love him and it tears me apart that he is probably so…so far away right now." Christie stuttered while more tears followed the first.

"Doesn't it bother you though?", Duke asked.

"Does what bother me?"

"That he never told you…that he lied to you for years."

"No," she answered without thought. "I know that it was for the best. I could have been in danger if I had known before. Cole was protecting me.", she sighed. "But I doubt even he could have seen that anything like this would ever happen."

"No one could have, Christie.", Duke smiled reassuringly. He put his hand on her shoulder. "But you can bet that we will always be here for you in the meanwhile. I am sorry for bothering you--"

"Oh no bother at all!", Christie assured. "I enjoyed this. I realized a lot right now."

Duke looked down at the ground. "Well, time for you to rest, Christie. Sweet dreams."

"You too."

Duke stood up and slowly waddled up the stairway. Christie couldn't help but to laugh a little.

Christie looked over her shoulders and around her. _Good_, she thought to herself. Nobody was around. She put her head down on the cold cement floor and clutching an image of Cole in her mind, she cried herself to sleep.


	21. Chapter 21: Sweet Evil

Sweet Evil

Devilish laughs burst throughout the chamber. So empty, yet loud and uproarious…sickly laughs that could render a person mad. 

Feminine cackles they were. Through the haze the four silhouettes giggled and howled. They were each cross-legged and hysterical, their girlish uproar filling their own ears with their poison. Every breath they would take and drop was poison--a venom filled with so much evil and sin that the darkness became cold and bitter around them. 

At last the laughter began to fade and one of the figures rested her snow toned arm on her equally colorless leg, caressing it seductively.

She exhaled slowly as frost slipped from her tongue and into the air. In her hand was a small photo which she held triumphantly in front of herself. 

"It looks like Maddox and Radix are out of the picture now.", the faceless woman uttered seductively, chortling at the irony of her words. 

Another of the women responded. Her face also covered in a shadow, "Another foolish mistake on his part.", her scarlet lips curved into a smirk "I always knew Maddox could not handle his job. Much too soft to be a true bounty warrior. Never get a man to do a woman's job."

"Oh don't be too harsh on Maddox." A third voice said. "Radix was a ticking time bomb as well. It was wise of _him_ to put less power on Radix. He almost ruined the mission. But don't get me wrong", she giggled. "I could smell failure from both of them." 

"Do you believe he will punish Maddox for betraying us?", the final voice asked.

"No.", the first voice said. "Maddox is as good as dead, it would be a waste of time to find him. He must preserve his power for Chaos' arrival. He is weak from Radix's death, which is another reason why he has not taken care of Maddox. It could be devastating to his health."

"It wont be long. Mission one was executed perfectly.", the second voice assured. "Now they just need to use their powers.", she grinned slyly. "And that will not be a problem."

"Who would have thought that a fool like Sirix would be able to assist so much. _He _really is a genius."

"What do you mean?", the third voice asked.

"Did you really think Sirix was sent to destroy them?", the first voice questioned.

"Yes. He didn't do horribly at it."

"Don't be ignorant.", the second voice snapped. "Sirix was sent to die but not without purpose of coarse."

"What purpose?"

"This!", the first voice roared, pointing to the small photo. "To make our target vulnerable from the start. He is our key! He is our key to Sailor Saturn.", She paused. "But I suppose there is no need to worry about it quite yet. I assure all of you that it will make sense in time."

"All we need to do is wait. They will dig their own graves.", the fourth voice beamed. She lifted up a glass filled with a red substance. "To the death of the Sailor Soldiers!"

The others did the same. "To the death of the Sailor Soldiers!", they giggled in unison, putting the glasses to their moist lips and drinking.

Putting down her empty glass, the third voice interrupted the celebration. "We must go to Earth already, but where shall we wait for them?"

"Where else? The city is our best bet.", the fourth woman answered. 

"To the city it is then.", the first figure said coolly, dropping the small photo on the ground as the others walked off.

Slowly she looked down at the photo, taking a final glance at it. Without hesitance, she thrust her crimson heel into it and walked off with the others.

Crushed and ripped, Matt continued to smile brightly through the photo.


	22. Chapter 22: The City

The City

Cole shivered violently as sweat poured down his neck. His breath became cold and heavy yet his eyes held shut in unconsciousness.

A shrill screech pierced through his ears and a heavy breeze devoured his skin. Slowly he tried to force himself awake, but to no avail, his body refused to open his eyes. Another screech burst into his mind, Cole's body now coated in goosebumps and severed words now echoed through the noise.

Cole violently threw his head to the side, trying to force control of his own body.

_Left!_ The angry voice roared through him. _Left!_

"George!", Cole yelled to himself. "Is it you George?"

_Forward! Back! Left! Forward Right!, _the deep sound pressed.

Cole's nails pressed through the skin of his palms as blood quickly rushed to the surface. 

_Left, Left, Forward, Back, Left, Forward, Right! _It reiterated.

"Who are you!?", Cole demanded. The sound was so loud he could not tell whether he was talking aloud or in his head. 

Responsively Cole felt himself being flushed with water, as if he was drowning in a large ocean. His body was entirely numb. He could feel himself slowly suffocating.

He could see his life flashing before him. All of his pains were haunting him again, his friends stood in front of him in the ocean, he could see their shadows dilating in the water. Slowly he reached for them, but their silhouettes steadily drifted away from his fingertips. Holding his breath ,Cole's lungs felt like broken glass yet he reached for his friends with the tip of his third finger as the rest of his life flashed around their bodies as a movie does when someone walks in front of the screen. Just another centimeter and he could reach for them. 

He felt his lungs shatter inside of him. Bubbles burst from his mouth and the shadows break into grains of sand.

*~*

His eyes break open and his body throws itself onto his stomach.

Cole waits for his eyes to finish twirling when they slowly become focused again. He finds himself breathing heavily. He brushes his long fingers through his hair. It is soaking wet with water, his eyes almost burst from their sockets…water is spattered all over the shelter.

He reaches to his side and clutches his scepter securely in his palms. Quickly he rushes outside and into the forest.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

In a heartbeat, the, now transparent, sphere shattered into tiny shards of sand. The three young men still have their eyes tightly shut.

It was Matt who was the first to suspect their landing. Cautiously he opens his left eye and maneuvers it observantly. His mouth drops open.

Drake was the next to feel the curiosity. Equally as cautious, he winced his eyes enough to barely see the gray sky. Opening his eyes to their full potential he gasps.

Hearing Drake, Andrew opened his eyes quickly and felt faint enough to collapse.

The entire park was obliterated into nothing. The once luscious green trees that they had grown to love were broken down to stumps of blackened wood and the soft green grass that they would sometimes lay on to configure the clouds was just raw dirt and weeds.

Quickly Matt ran towards the sidewalks that stretched into downtown. His heart stopped beating for a moment. The beautiful skyscrapers and buildings were gone, just steel buildings and a meaningless horizon in their place.

Andrew and Drake quickly joined Matt. Drake could not believe his eyes. Not only was the entire downtown gone, but above them were images of themselves. Just their guises, but their true forms, staring threateningly from billboards. In full color and magnified hundreds of times were their portraits with disturbing captions on all, each one different and more heart breaking than the next.

Andrew slowly read them to himself. _Have you seen these monsters? The Sailor Soldiers are wanted in all 50 states and 42 countries around the Globe. Be American, and beware. 1billion dollar bounty for their capture--Dead or Alive. Serial Murderers--armed and dangerous. _He could not bear to read anymore.

__

"This is horrible.", Andrew said grimly. "How can anyone be so wrong?"

__

"I don't know.", Matt answered as he shakes his head negatively. "I really don't know. This would break my father's heart."

Drake couldn't help but frown, yet he turns to them optimistically. "Maybe its just really bad here. Maybe its better in other places. Lets try the school.", he asked sincerely. "I'm sure its not so bad at the academy."

Without another word to one another they walked through the city, trying their hardest not to look around them and failing. The streets were so desolate and filled with negativity that it was hard to keep walking. Nothing was as bright anymore, no more smiles or glimmers of hope with their every breath anymore. It was very fortunate for them that there was no way for them to be identified under their disguises or else they might be dead by now. 

There was a sick aftertaste in the irony of it all. For so many years their power had been cherished and appreciated by the world, but now because of tragedy it is loathed as they were. Did nobody believe in them anymore?

The sun began to shift nearer to the horizon, but still fairly bright despite the clusters of clouds enshrouding the city. 

Drake was correct whether his optimism was pure or not. The city did seem better as they neared the more suburban end of the city. It was not nearly as desolate or empty. The steel buildings became steel walls and the steel walls became steel patches as they progressed. A person would pass by occasionally beside them-much too caught up in their own affairs to bother to look at them. Little did they know they were walking past alleged 'serial murderers'. 

A single drop of sweat streamed down Drake's face. The heavy camera on his shoulder was taking a toll on him. Matt's pearly perfect teeth were still hidden by his long frown. Andrew was becoming agitated with his bucked teeth, so much that he just rested them over his bottom lip, giving the illusion of an overbite.   
Andrew finally saw it fit to break the silence. "Do you think this is what your vision was warning you about?"

Matt looked at him for several moments without a word, but finally mustering the energy to respond. "No, I don't. This is not what I felt during my vision.", he said, looking up at the cloudy sky. "This _is_ bad. But its not the same sort of bad I felt.", staring into Andrew's eyes. "Not the same kind of bad, you know?"

__

He nodded slightly. 

"I need to go.", Matt blurted quickly.

Drake waiting a moment to process his words. Finally realizing what Matt said Drake responded. "What the heck do you mean you have to go?! Its bad enough…Da-I mean the others backed out, but now you!?"

"I am not backing out.", Matt answered defensively. "I need to be alone."

Andrew cut in. "We can't afford that right now! We need to stay together, we need to find out about…your vision.", he whispered.

"I am sorry.", Matt started. Drake sighed gratefully. "But I have to go."

Drake groaned as Matt quickly walked off.

"That is just great!", Drake yelled angrily. "Why does this keep on happening? Do you know why? I sure as hell don't.", Drake irritably asked Andrew.

"All of the pressure?", Andrew answered hesitantly.

Drake glared slightly at Andrew, but gained a grip on his emotions. "You know we are cool, right?" Andrew nodded. "Well if we are gonna be a duo…you have to learn when I ask you a rhetorical question."

Andrew smiled. "A duo?"

"A duo.", Drake answered sincerely back.

"Well I suppose we are on an unofficial patrol then, aren't we, Robin?", Andrew joked.

"I suppose so." Drake paused. "Wait a second. What do you mean Robin? I am Batman, buddy."

They both laughed.

"To the bat cave!", announced Drake, blindly walking backwards goofily.

Andrew laughed at his silliness. His smile quickly faded. "Watch out!"

Stupidly Drake tripped over something and fell roughly on his back, his camera skidding down the sidewalk.

Andrew flinched awkwardly. 

Drake opens his eyes slightly and in focus is a very beautiful woman, angrily leering at his clumsiness.

Drake quickly hopped back on his feet. The woman looked twice as beautiful in person. She had perfect locks of orange tinted dark blonde hair. He was nearly as tall as Drake with dark orange high heels that he must have tripped over, snow white skin, and an enticingly large bust that Drake found himself staring at in place of her face.

Andrew, who had rushed beside him, elbowed him into focus.

Drake pleaded sympathetically to her deep blue eyes. 

"I am so sorry miss.", he began. "I was so stupid to bump into you, how can I ever make it up to you?", he asked, noticing her rubbing her hand. Grabbing it ever so gently he rubbed it for her. "Did I hurt your hand, madam? I would gladly take you to a clinic to get that taken care of for you. How about a drink? My treat. I am so sorry."

The young woman glowered spitefully at the obese cameraman. She snatched her arm out of his grip and shoved her heel into his groin. Drake fell nauseously back on the concrete.

"Don't you ever get into my way again.", she snapped at him, and seductively stormed off.

Andrew knelt beside his friend. "Are you okay, buddy?"

Drake scrunched his eyes tightly shut and moaned in deep pain.

"I think the bat cave will have to wait.", he mumbled.

Andrew could not help but smile.


	23. Chapter 23: Resolution

Closure

A solemn gray mist hovered about him, yet Matt could care less. It was becoming bitterly chilly in the cemetery as was much of everything on the northern side of the city. Every breath he would take would add to the fog until it would just blend in with its blank dimness. 

Matt looked at the aging sun, his eyes glowing in synch with its brightness. Since birth Matt had always been synchronized with the earth--the physical earth that he would dwell consciously in and then the spiritual earth, only binding itself to those at rest. Some could call his gifts a blessing, and others, as ever he did at times, a curse. 

His father never had the gift of "seeing" and in the end that would result in his death. A single tear fell from Matt's eye and onto the fresh dirt as if it were hanging on a cut string. If only he could "see" as Matt could now, if he could smell a rose before its bloom…if only he could greet the sunrise and salute the sunset before their fate as he could…maybe…just maybe…he could be alive right now. Matt shook away the dreadful thought. 

His gift most definitely was from his grandfather. His power was even stronger than his own, yet much too feeble to harness it as he once had. Still chained the church as Matt saw it. He was and has been a priest since the death of his grandmother which was before he was even born. Matt found it useless to spend so much time in that cathedral, wasting his life away day by day for fulfillment when fulfillment, to Matt, could thrive in the heart of the pure--a church is just a symbol for that, a symbolic waste of stone and wood. Nothing more nothing less.

But this was different. Matt dropped a single scarlet rose in front of the headstone. He had to. Matt read the round stone once again…to make his heart feel at rest again and maybe to set this particular spirit free.

__

Matthew Frederick Holloman

Farewell to a 

Loving father and Husband.

~*~Love shall set thy free~*~

His father was buried next to Matt's mother, just as he had always wanted. Buried next to each other just as they both wanted. Two lovers torn apart by dieses when Matt was just a child. He could hardly remember her but it would be impossible for his father to forget her for the remainder of his life. She was his only true love, Matt hoped dearly that they could spend eternity together.

__

"Father, I--", Matt had to stop himself from bursting into tears. Taking a deep breath he continued. "I miss you so much…I know you would have wanted me to go to your service and all…but…", Matt impulsively emptied his tear filled eyes. "But…you know."

__

Matt looked to his sides and behind him cautiously. He shouldn't even be at the cemetery…it could give people suspicion of his identity. He promised himself he would not stay long. 

__

"I love you. I just wish I could just hold on to you long enough to say goodbye.", he sniffled queasily, "Say hi t--to mom for me. I will see you one day.", he added grimly. "But I have to go now. I swear I will avenge you father.", Matt turned red. "I will fight until the death for you…I-I swear."

__

Matt bent over to place the rose closer to the tombstone and ran walked off quickly, struggling to never look back.

__

~*~*~*~*

Upon the nearness to its destination, a round transparent sphere hovered weakly until its surface made its way onto the ground. With a final glare the sphere burst into grains of sand and from its center walked out Cole in a mid-aged civilian guise.

__

Words could not describe the horror on his face. Expecting to be greeted by the warm oak trees and cozy homes of his neighborhood, Cole instead saw a cratered revulsion of the aftermath. 

__

Frantically he ran to his home, not his apartment which he lived in, but his beautiful home that held his kindly mother and the rest of his family. Cole could still not believe his eyes, his heart told him to stop looking…but he had to know…he had to know if his family was killed the explosions that he had conceived in his own palms. Did he kill them? Was all of this destruction his unintentional doing?

__

He wished could go back…before the rubble that lay dormant around him. He wished he could just go back to the days before the attacks…so he could just hold on to the hours and never let them go.

He was in the neighborhood…but he wasn't quite sure where he was. Nothing looked familiar, every house and, as far as he could tell, form of life was gone, just black rubble.

The sun was pretty intense in the direction he was heading. His best bet was to find the tower where this horror began. If he could spot the tower he would be fine…but he searched to no avail. With no houses or trees to block his few, he was very sure that the tower, like everything else was gone.

But he just couldn't believe that _his_ home was gone…that just couldn't be true…but he could see no house anywhere in the distance.

He squinted his eyes almost to the point of shutting them, a slender object could be viewed slightly, at the bottom of an approaching hill…the hill that lead to his house!

Cole sprinted carelessly through the wreckage…the object became larger as he reached the top of the hill. But it wasn't a house…it was a billboard.

Curious to the contents of the billboard, Cole began to run, but then found himself sliding roughly down the hill. Having nothing stable to hold on to, Cole just went along with it, shielding his face with his hands until the small hill came to an end. 

Cole brushed the dirt off of his clothes and ignored the minor cuts on his skin, continuing to run towards the billboard. 

_Oh no._ Cole thought fearfully to himself. This was the exact street his house was on. He could tell from the distant view of what led into downtown. _They didn't_…he assured himself. _They did not do that…_he thought again reassuringly.

But they did. As Cole reached the billboard, he fear was confirmed. It stood on the grounds his former house had once stood on. Cole threw himself into the wreckage in tears. 

Lunging his fists into the ground angrily, he searched through the dirt around the legs of the tall billboard crazily…maybe this wasn't his house…maybe it was somebody else's home…not his. 

But his nails dug into something unbreakable. He cleaned away the dirt that covered the metal object…it was a long piece of gold plated metal that read _2319_...Cole's address. 

Cole threw the metal as far as he could hurl it, which was far enough for him never to able to find it again. He roared in anger as tears ran down his tender cheeks. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and calmed himself down. Exhaling he stood up slowly and stepped back far enough to read the billboard. 

His mouth gapped open. 

On the billboard was an enlarged picture of himself that stretched across more than half of the already enlarged advertisement.

It tore his heart to shreds to read it more than once.

__

In oversized black letters it read:

__

Mother Killer.

Sister Killer.

American Killer.

Need we say more?

Be American and beware.

Clenching his fists tightly, Cole slowly loosened his grip. 

Taking another deep breath, Cole headed toward the city.


	24. Chapter 24: The Plan

Tension

Angrily stormed another young woman, no doubt any less beautiful than the one Drake and Andrew encountered, and no less enraged as well. 

This beautiful woman, dressed in a lime green leather outfit, sleek green sunglasses, and flowing brown locks of hair stormed angrily down the cool sidewalk, her lime green stiletto heels breaking through the concrete she stepped on.

The woman had a nice piece of jewelry around her neck-a pure silver necklace with the word _Juna_ engraved into it. She fidgeted aggressively with it. "I can't believe that dog, Arodice, bossing me around like I am some pet. Why is she such a bitch to everyone all of the time?", she grumbled. "I wish somebody could just grab a blade and dice her in half with it.", she giggled happily. "Then maybe she could stop barking order all of the time.", she went into a mocking tone. "Juna, get this! Juna, do that! Juna, brush my hair! Juna, wipe the crap off of my ass!", she uttered sarcastically. "Well, Arodice, screw you…not that anyone exists who hasn't anyway."

She continued to stomp blindly down the sidewalk, now observing the life around her. She sees the bids chirping merrily in the preserved trees along the sidewalk, the squirrels scrambling about for food and the green grass growing through the fresh soil.

"Can the life here get anymore pathetic.", she scowled. "Can these creatures not see their world eroding beneath their feet.", she approached a flower. "Tell me, creature, why do you continue to grow when you know you will just live to die?"

She paused as if expecting a response. When getting none, she blushed at her ignorance and crushed the flower without a second thought. She resumed her walk.

"Are humans the only dynamic creatures on this planet?", she asked herself. "With the ability to be hurt and to lie and yell?", she asked, "With the ability to hate? Weak as they are, at least they are so easy to influence."

She began to walk past an elderly man who was giving tiny pieces of bread to some hungry birds from a tiny bench beside her.

Suddenly her heels halted. "Especially the men.", she grinned viciously.

Alluringly, she sat next to the old man, enticingly crossing her legs.

She bit her moist lips seductively, taking off her sunglasses and sticking the curve of it into her mouth, licking the edge with provocation.

The old man continued to feed the birds with fascination, paying no notice to her.

Frustrated at his oblivion she rudely kicked his shin with her sharp heel.

The old man gave no sound of pain, he just turned to her and smiled warmly. Lifting his sagging fisherman hat, he apologized. "I am sorry, Madam. Pardon me."

He put his hat back on his head and smiled at the birds tentatively. 

Juna gritted her teeth at his kindness as he attends the birds, uncrossing her legs. Spitefully, she makes a subtle, yet unnatural screech, much too high for a normal human to hear.

On cue the birds began to shiver frightfully, quickly sending them soaring away with their wings twittering nervously.

With a sly grin she recrossed her legs, drawing imaginary circles on her thigh with her index finger making coo sounds at her every touch. 

She pulled her leather pants down her waist slightly, revealing a matching G-string that sprung up her thigh. 

The old man just looked at the dim clouds as he steadily bit into a sandwich that he pulled out of a brown paper bag.

Juna huffed furiously, clearing her throat loudly to steal his attention. He just continues to lose himself in the clouds.

She cleared her throat ever louder this time, so loud that her throat felt raw.

She smiled, he finally noticed her. He reached into his plaid button-up shirt for something. A moment later, he held out a linen handkerchief from the lining of his shirt, politely handing it to Juna.

Her smile quickly curved into a snarl. She rudely snatches the handkerchief and crushes her sunglasses aggressively, her forest green pupils doubling in size.

Ruefully she grabs him by his thin white undershirt, whispering something very quietly into his ear.

The old man listened attentively, his eyes glowing wickedly.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The winds roared viciously against Matt, their powerful whistle sending a pain through his forehead. 

Matt walked very slowly now down the empty road, his mind very much distracted. _This could be the answer to my vision…_He thought.

A wrathful screech rung through his ears. Instinctively, Matt looked up at the sky.

His eyes widened, a bird flew blindly through the sky, barely scrapping its wings against buildings and lamp posts. Dizzily it soared through the air, Matt watching its every move. Matt's mouth gaped open, the bird threw itself smack into a building a few blocks ahead of him. Matt couldn't help but flinch. He walked quickly to the sight. 

*~*~*~*

Cole walked in a light stupor through the heart of the city. He didn't know what he was feeling right now. He felt as if he had to vomit, but instead of vomit all he could muster out of him was spit. He could hardly recognize the ground he was walking on, it was all a blur. If the roads were filled with traffic, he would surely be run over by now.

The trauma of seeing his house was finally taking its cruel toll on him, his world was upside down now, not even a deep breath could take that feeling away from him.

He stumbled to the side until his head banged against the wall of a metal building. He yelled his impulsive curse and spit more.

He was totally off balance and clumsily stumbled into a human shaped figure. With his eyes closed, he knocked on it as if it were a door. The figure was definitely a stone statue. Slowly he felt the statue with his hands, feeling every crevice and feature. 

Within a few moments the thought hit him. It was a statue of the Virgin Mary.

Cole smiled goofily. "A church! Gotta find the door!", he blinked.

He stepped until he could feel the buildings behind the statue. He kept his eyes closed since his twirling eyes were no use to him. He felt around for an entrance with his feet and hands until he fell into one.

He fell very hard on his head…but too weak to get up, he let himself fall into a deep sleep.

When Cole opened his eyes everything was clear again and his stomach felt normal. There was no doubt in his mind that he was in a church. The carpet was crimson and golden statues of biblical figures stood poised and proud against the walls…but his heart raced…he was not on the floor anymore.

An old priest slowly approached him. He looked very familiar, but he couldn't quite lay a finger as to who he was…

Scattering his thought, the priests observed him as if he was a car that he planned to buy. Cole quickly glanced at his hands and body…he was still in his guise. He gave a sigh of relief. 

The elderly priest still continued to glance deeply into his eyes. This made Cole feel very uncomfortable, he felt as if his thoughts were being read right out of him.

"I had a feeling you would come back.", he said weakly.

Sweat streamed down Cole's neck, he was very scared of this feeble old man, yet his heart just kept trying to trust him…he still couldn't think of who he was.

The priest uncorked a tiny bottle of a clear liquid and threw its contents onto Cole's skin. 

"I knew it!", the priest said triumphantly. "It is you! You are the friend of Matt!"

Cole gritted his teeth nervously and became as pale as a ghost. 

"Don't worry, boy. You are safe here.", he assured Cole, who began to gain back his color.

"Ho-how did you-I mean, how do you know I am the person you are talking about!", Cole defended horribly.

"Do not waste my time or yours, young man.", the priest said firmly. "Matt is my grandson, I will not turn in my grandson's best friend."

"That is who you are!", Cole smiled. "I remember you now!", Cole frowned. "But, Father, how did you know who I am.", Cole began to whisper very quietly. "I am in disguise."

Father Holloman chuckled in amusement as he slowly walked to the entrance of the church, shutting the doors and locking them tightly.

Cole walked towards him away from the corner. 

The father continued to talk. "Your disguise, son, is a great method of evading the law…however…I am no officer of the law and can sense your strong aura from across the room. I just needed you to interact with me before I could be positive." Cole frowned. "Oh don't worry, it is a great disguise." Cole smiled again.

"How long have I been asleep, Father?", Cole asked.

"Approximately 5 minutes."

Cole blushed embarrassedly, he thought he had slept for over an hour. 

Father Holloman frowned. "But that is why I needed to know it was you."

"What do you mean?"

The elderly man took several moments to word it softly enough for Cole to take in. "You had been drenched with the blood of evil." Cole gasped. "Figuratively, of coarse." Cole felt a little better. "Tell me, how did you feel when you stumbled into here earlier?"

"Horrible!", Cole explained. "My stomach felt all out of whack, and I kept wanting to spit--"

The Father interrupted. "Aha! Your body must have been trying to excrete all of the bad energy out of your body. You had a dangerous amount of bad energy dwelling within you, as this entire city is as we speak.", he said gravely. "You must leave immediately and eliminate it before it becomes to late."

"But am I okay?", Cole asked.

"Of coarse. Of coarse!", The Father rushed "I cleansed you very thoroughly as soon as you fell on my carpet floor. Which reminds me…", Father Holloman undid a gold chain that hung around his neck and underneath his clothing. "Hold our your hand."

Cole did as instructed. The Father put a beautiful chained shard of crystal in his palms.

"What is this, Father?" 

"It is a cleansing chain. It will repel evil spirits…when you are around true darkness, the crystal will glow a neon purple color, and when you are not, it will stay the pure white color you see before yourself. Now put it on and leave now!", The Father ordered.

Cole drowsily snapped the chain into place and placed it under his shirt as Father Holloman did. Cole then headed quickly for the doorway. Quickly he turned back to the Father. 

"Don't you want to know how Matt is doing?", Cole asked. 

The Father laughed weakly. "Son, when you get to be my age you can feel your loved ones breathe from a different country if you concentrate hard enough."

Cole nodded thankfully and headed quickly out of the church where a strong glare temporarily blinds him. With spots flashing and fading, Cole ran towards the glare when it occurred to him that the reason he didn't recognize where he was, was because half of had been torn down since he had been gone. But Cole was too preoccupied to care.

A strong gush of pain went through his head. Cole blinked very quickly and approached a grand building that to Cole's knowledge was brand new and the obvious cause of the glare. It was almost completely made out of tinted glass and reached at least seven stories. Cole searched for a sign nearby.

A long rectangular sign said in bold letters:

_A.F. County Police Department._

Before Cole could even finish reading he felt a strong warmth on his chest. He looked down and saw that a strong Neon Purple light was emitting from the crystal through his shirt. 

"Wow…that was fast.", Cole said sarcastically, holding the crystal until the glowing stopped. He tucked back in his shirt and looked around.

He looked around at the sidewalk and empty roads but nothing in sight. No cars or people anywhere. 

A leaf spun from out of nowhere and cut Cole's hand. Cole yelled in pain and blood quickly rushed to the surface of his hand. He wiped the blood off on his pants and looked up.

"Oh shit!", he yelled.

On the top of the large building was an old man in a red plaid shirt and a sagging fisherman's hat walking towards the edge of the roof.

"STOP!", Cole roared at the old man. "YOU'RE GONNA FALL! OLD MAN, STOP WALKING!"

From out of nowhere two police officers approached Cole. 

"What the yell are you yelling about!", one of the officers rudely snapped.

Suddenly an entire crowd began to form around Cole, he had never been so nervous of being caught in his life.

Afraid to let them hear his voice, Cole pointed up at the roof of the building.

The officer looked up skeptically at the building and moment later he finally saw what Cole was yelling about. 

"Oh shit!", The officer repeated. "4791c! Backup!", he ordered.

Cole watched very frantically. There was no way a trampoline could arrive in time. Impulsively he reached for his scepter…

~*~*~*

As Matt approached the building he sought he could hear a loud murmuring of a crowd. Matt glanced around for the cause of all the fuss. 

"He's gonna jump!", a woman shrieked from the opposite corner of the building.

Chills went through his spine. Instinctively he looked up. "Oh shit…", Matt gasped. The old man was centimeters from the edge. 

"I can't let him fall..", Matt said quietly to himself.

"I can't let him fall!", Cole thought.

They both quickly clutched their scepters in hand.


	25. Chapter 25: Together Again

Matt transformed first, causing a dome of red light to stream from the sky and over his body. Distracted, Cole put his scepter back into his pocket and rushed to look.

The old man took a step over the ledge, causing him to soar quickly towards the ground.

Sailor Mars leaped towards him, a streak of red flames flowing behind him.

Cole looked in awe at Matt and the crowd gasped dramatically, not knowing whether to run away or to cheer him on.

The police officers grinded their teeth, reluctantly holding back their guns.

Still in his trance, the old man plummeted closer and closer to the ground, Matt reaching very close to his fingertips. 

~*~*~*

Juna fiercely glanced at the red cylinder of flames in the near distance. Quickly she rushed towards it.

*~*~*~*

Drake and Andrew could feel their heart beat to Matt's great energy as they quickly run towards the same cylinder of crimson light.

*~*~*~*~

Matt reached out to grab the man. He did it! But now struggled to keep his weight from making them both crash into the ground. Instinctively, Mars clutched the man tightly with his left elbow and with his free palm launched a gush of flames into the concrete which held them up in the air and then weakening the force slowly to help them reach the ground.

Andrew and Drake gasped for breath as they arrived at the building in time by running at their full speeds.

Sailor Mars weakened his fiery cushion and landed gently on the ground, carefully placing the old man on his back.

The crowd cheered loudly for him.

Smiling, Sailor Mar's attention was quickly taken by the old man.

The elderly citizen blinked his eyes repeatedly…until he smiled at Matt with a warm brown gaze.

"What happened?", He asked with concern in his voice. "Why am I on the ground?"

Matt smirked happily at the old man's good condition. "Well, Sir, I was--"

Matt was rudely interrupted. Half a squad of police officers fired their guns at Sailor Mars, who swiftly dodged them.

Cole quickly began to run to his aid when a huge explosion in front of him sent the crowd and officers screaming and running in panic. All that remained were the four boys and the old man.

From the heart of the explosion appeared three shadows.

As the smoke cleared Drake and Andrew's mouths gaped open.

Three beautiful women stood in front of them. On the left side was a very petit woman with flowing light brown hair, ocean blue eyes, a very large bust, and a very seductive blue outfit made almost completely of a glazed rubber.

On the right side was a fairly tall goddess like creature with flowing locks of raven hair and beautiful hazel eyes that one could lose himself in, which was a trait that they all seemed to share, as well as all of the other traits. Then finally in the middle was the most familiar of them all. It was the same woman that Andrew and Drake had run into on the sidewalk. They couldn't believe their eyes. 

"Hello, Sailor Soldiers, we have been looking for you naughty little boys for quite some time now." The middle woman grinned. "We are the Amazoness Quartet! I am Arodice, the goddess of love and eternal beauty as far as you are concerned."

The woman on the right of her spoke next. "I am Posindra, my lips are a strong as poison, but as great as sin!"

Then the final woman glared out at them. "And _I _am Aricia! I stand for war and hate.", she grinned demonically. "And I hate every single one of you."

"I don't know how numbers work where you come from! But here a quartet means _four_ slutty bitches!", Sailor Mars snarled. 

On cue a woman giggles triumphantly from the air and lands cat-like on her feet. 

"We haven't met, but I am Juna…I have been known to kill at the speed of lightning.", she smirked.

"Take this fight away from the old man!", Sailor Mars demanded.

Juna snarled. "Screw the old man!", sending a green blade of energy that devoured the old man in its force. "Worthless human couldn't do anything right anyway.", she snuffed coldly.

"NO!", Cole cried.

The others were too stunned for words. 

"The gig is up, fools. Show yourself Sailor Saturn!", Posindra ordered.

"I'll take you on on his behelf!", Sailor Mars offered.

"No dice.", Aricia growled back to him. "Transform Sailor Saturn, or this city is history."

Sailor Mars glared back at Cole through the corner of his eye, ordering him not to.

Despite his leer Cole reached for his scepter…

"I am Sailor Saturn!", cries another voice from above.

From the sky flips David…but strangely enough he is in a fake Sailor Saturn Uniform that went down to the dirty blonde hair on his head.

"You are Sailor Saturn?", Arodice asked skeptically. 

David nodded and motioned to Cole. "And that kid is just a bystander, let him go!"

"That makes no sense!", Juna growled. "There are five Sailor Soldiers, we are not stupid."

"Venus left us! He took off on his own!" David lied.

"Go _HOME_ kid!" Drake barked at Cole. "We…will take it from here!"

"I cant…", Cole began.

"GO!", they all barked fiercely.

Cole slowly began to walk away when Juna lunged at him, clutching him by the neck.

The boys flinched nervously.

"Are you sure you are not a soldier boy?!", Juna pressed.

Cole struggled to nod.

"Are you suuuure?", Squeezing dangerously tight.

"Stop it!", Andrew ordered.

Cole had no other choice. Cole reached for his pocket blindly, grabbing his rod and clutching it tightly.

A flash of blinding white light flashed down at Cole, doming over the entire city. 

"AG! He burns!", Juna roared, throwing Cole on the ground.

Another bright flash of light sparked through the city.

The clanking of boots was all that the women could hear; the light temporarily blinded them. 

As their vision became clearer they could see the product of the radiance. 

Rubbing his throat, the larger-than-life-presence spoke half humouredly. "Good evening, ladies." he smirked. "_I_ am Sailor Saturn."


	26. Chapter 26: Cruel Justification

Juna glared at the presence in front of her as did the other women with their beautiful yet bitter eyes. 

The 4 soldiers were stunned and left speechless by Sailor Saturn, who just ignored their stares and chuckled in amusement.

A thick aura of golden film still hung over Sailor Saturn and the energy he awakened as he transformed still held a strong breeze that lifted his long hay-colored bangs over his head. 

His glowing blue eyes started to fade back into human realness again as the breeze began to fade.

"Well are you going to do something about it?", Sailor Saturn smirked tauntingly. He was so at rest and content and the redness that Juna left on his neck was no long gone. 

The 4 women quivered reluctantly but their impulses were beginning to take the best of them.

"What's the matter?", Saturn pressed cynically. "Are you afraid of me because I am not a defenseless old man.", he clenched his fists. The winds began to churn ruefully again. "You had no problem killing him did you?", he flinched. "Did you!", he roared. Electric charges began to surge up his arms. "You wanted Sailor Saturn, did you not? Well I am your guy. You will pay for his blood with your own frigid fluid."

Sailor Saturn turned his head to the others. "Transform now."

Drake shook himself out of his daze, answering gently to the mighty presence. "Co-I mean Sailor Saturn, are you sure that yo--"

"Just do it!", he ordered fiercely. 

Andrew, Drake, and David grabbed their scepters from behind them and held them up, causing another mighty cylinder to form over them.

As the light faded the three soldier forms of the boys stepped wearily out of the light. 

Without reason Sailor Saturn's eyes flashed with crimson. He stepped closer to the women until he was standing centimeters from Arodice's nose. 

"Are you scared?", Sailor Saturn smirked viciously. Slowly he giggled in a deep mania. 

The girls had no expression at this point, they just looked frozen and doll-like, it was just something about Sailor Saturn's presence that ate at the women's confidence.

Slowly his grin slanted and he placed his large palm on Arodice's forehead as if he could just feel her fear streaming through his veins. He purposely exhaled slowly onto her face. Her own breath became harder. Aricia, Juna, and Posindra were too frozen in their stance to help her.

The tension sent nausea through the boys stomach, it drained at their energy and focus when Cole would act like this, which was very rare.

Sailor Saturn inhaled and lifted his palm off of Arodice's forehead. He gave them a moment more of silence. Then with a long frown forming on his face he broke it by slamming the back of his hand on Arodice's cheek, sending her back with enough force to take Arica and Juna with her. The boys cringed.

Blood streamed from Arodice's cheek that scraped against the hard concrete and Juna and Aricia just lay dormant on top of her.

Ruthlessly he smiled evilly at Posindra who was the only one standing. She stared at him with a genuine, child-like fear in her eyes. Sailor Saturn glanced at her in disgust.

"Let me do a direct quote from you Posindra.", Sailor Saturn said coldly. In a mocking falsetto tone he imitated her. "Hello my name is Posindra, I am slutty alien trash with lips as deadly as poison but great as sin!" He smiled cruelly. "I added the first part for my own amusement."

Posindra shivered nervously.

"Oh don't be scared.", Saturn bullied. "I just want to see how honest you are. Lets take your sinful lips for a test drive."

Saturn put his arm over her wait and pulled her to his chest, caressing her rear lustfully. Without hesitation he put his lips over hers and slipped his tongue into her mouth. Posindra reluctantly cooperated and gave Sailor Saturn full control over her. The others could not believe what they were seeing. 

After almost a minute and a half he released her and stared blankly into her eyes.

He frowned. "My dear, you are full of shit.". Brutally he sent his elbow into her face and made her land a couple of feet away from the other three.

Saturn marched towards the men. "They are not worth my time.", he snarled.

His uniform quickly faded away. "What a waste.", Cole said totally out of his usual character and guiseless for the first time in a while. 

The winds suddenly halted and Cole collapsed just as quickly. 

The others rushed to his aid.

"Cole.", Sailor Mars asked as he shook his friend violently. "Say something!" Instinctively he slapped Cole lightly.

He began to open his eyes. "What happened?", Cole asked weakly. He turned his head to look for the women. His eyes bulged. "Why are they all on the ground!? Did we do it?"

Sailor Mars and the others stared at Cole in both disbelief and mystery. "Cole, transform back right now, please.", Sailor Mars urged.

Cole blinked twice, but made his way onto his feet, facing the others.

He grabbed his scepter and held it towards the heavens. "Saturn! Starlight!! Po--"

Cole was struck in the back by something sharp. He fell back onto his knees, his scepter sliding toward the Police Department. 

Cole held back his roar from all of the pain he felt pressing against him. He could feel the force pressing him toward the ground, but he fought against it with his strength.

"Give it up!", a feminine voice ordered. Cole turned his head just enough to see who it belonged it. It was Arodice, looking angrier than Cole could ever imagine. "You were an idiot to release your power when you had us acting like you slaves!", she pressed harder against his back.

Cole couldn't help but moan loudly. Her razor sharp heel was piercing through his back. 

"Nobody will ever make a fool out of me EVER AGAIN!", she roared, lifting Cole up by the neck and throwing him back on the ground. 

Cole did the only thing he could do: cry for help. Arodice clutched his neck again and turned him around; the other 3 women each had one of his friends, Juna holding both Sailor Jupiter and Venus.

"Its war, you worthless human.", she snarled ferociously. She dangled out a large crimson whip from her side. She kicked Cole in the rear forward a few feet and with pleasure she slung her whip at his throat, creating a leash-like hold to Cole.

To Cole's avail he saw his scepter laying just a few inches away from him. Quickly he reached for it. He smiled childishly. He was holding it dearly in his hands. 

"Bad dog!", Arodice yelled, tugging the whip and making him drop the scepter ever farther away than before.

She giggled manically. "Say goodbye, Sailor Saturn! You are done!"

Aggressively she swung the whip as if it were a baseball bat, flinging Cole through a window of the Police Department. 

In a split second Cole shielded his face from the glass but helplessly he still busted through the second level, the broken glass cutting him many times all over his body. It was already horrible enough that blood was dripping off the surface of his neck from the whip.

Cole looked at all of the empty desks and computer systems in front of him. So lifeless and dormant. He quickly looked down through the large hole he made through the glass. His friends were struggling for freedom. He had to help…but Arodice could be back in seconds, and his scepter was 70 feet below. 

Ignoring the deep bruises on his legs he ran upstairs, hoping to lose Arodice. He ran up the stairs, refusing to look back. As the last step approached, he lunged onto the third story and quickly went towards the north window, where the others were.

He stopped in his tracks. Matt was sitting on the floor in pain. Cole leaped to his side. Matt was so silent, he couldn't hear him moan or anything, but he could see a lot of his blood being soaked up by the carpet floor. 

"Matt! What did they do to you? Please, talk to me!", Cole urged. He could see blood gushing from his stomach. "Don't give up hope, Matt!"

Matt just stared away from Cole and made no sounds at all.

"I wonder how the others are doing!" Cole panicked, looking out the deeply tinted window. Matt glared evilly.

Cole looked out the window attentively, hope Arodice was busy doing something…maybe she thought he was dead…it was sort of a miracle for him to be alive, just very bruised and bloody.

He could see Jupiter, who had broke free and was struggling to squirm away from Juna who was sent jolts of lightning towards him. Mercury was going head to head with Posindra. He was doing pretty well, dodging her attacks but being severely bloodied up in the process of breaking loose. Then finally he could see Sailor Mars struggling to break out of Aricia's grasp…wait a second, he thought.

He felt a fist go into his back and his eyes rolled back in their sockets. His face pressed against the glass and he slid down until his head was facing the carpet…the blood was completely gone and so was Matt. He turned around on his back to face his attacker…Matt looked down at him fiercely.

Cole could feel a coldness in his heart. "You aren't Matt!" 

"Very observant.", the body of Matt said with a seductively feminine voice--Arodice's voice. "You are an idiot who deserves to die!"

Cole stood up defensively. He had to either win this or die. "Bring it!", he cried.

Cole kicked Arodice in the face. It felt so strange trying to hurt an exact copy of his best friends body. Arodice flew back and broke through several desks.

"Ugh, this body sucks. Time for a change of clothes.", she squeeled, changing slowly back into her true form. "His strength in human form is nothing compared to mine!"

She swung her arm at Cole, causing him to fall through a wall and into another room on the third floor.

Cole ignored his pain and lunged at her, jumping into the air and swinging his left leg right at her chest.

She smiled and grabbed it, holding him upside down by the leg.

"Bye bye.", she grinned, throwing him at the ceiling and making him land painfully on the fourth floor. 

Recklessly Arodice jumped effortlessly through the ceiling and stared down at Cole.

"Your cockiness and ignorance ultimately led to your destruction today, Sailor Saturn."  
"What are you talking about!", Cole yelled from the floor. 

"Don't play stupid you pathetic piece of flesh.", she grabbed him by the throat and brought him close to her face. "Look at this!", referring to a large tear of flesh on her cheek. "You did that to me you little bastard. You ruined my face.", squeezing his throat until his face was as red as her anger. "DIE!"

She flung Cole out of the north window. Cole could see the glass breaking in slow motion as he plunged towards the concrete. Was this really how he was meant to die? It seemed inevitable to escape this fate. Four stories was a long way from the sky at such a fast speed. He had no scepter, no strength, and was completely oblivious to anything that happened after Juna was strangling him…_Why does this keep on happening to me_?, he thought to himself. Why does he blank out when he transforms now?

He closed his eyes and waited to die, wishing both aloud and silently that his friends and the world be safe. The fourth floor seemed to far away now, he must be nearing the ground…the wind from falling sent a burning sensation through each of his cuts which felt like a hundred of knives dicing through his skin. But now it would be over soon. He could see the huge hole he made through the second story now…death could arrive at any moment now.

His eyes widened. He had only one hope…he just hoped he could do it again in such a short period of time…

Sailor Mercury leaped up into the air with an airborne pirouette. "Mercury Aqua Illusion!", he yelled, causing a gust of ice and air to engulf Posindra. 

The Amazoness shook off the attack and lunged at him, slamming him into the ground. Mercury, squirming to get free from her, is being pinned down tightly.

Suddenly Mercury can't help but feel sleepy…some sort of odor is wafting through his lungs…it smells so familiar…no…he thought to himself…he must fight for the team. He struggled against Posindra again, but to no avail. The sweet scent seems to be taking over him…he cant help but to fall into a sweet dream. 

Sailor Jupiter charged up a violent amount of electric energy, releasing it at Juna who sends it right back at him with her fist.

"Take this!", Jena yelled at him. A small green sphere floated from her mouth, slowly and merrily at Jupiter.

Effortlessly Jupiter grinned and diced through the ricocheted attack with his scepter. Noticing the tiny green sphere, he laughed. "Juna, you are going to have to do much better than a tiny little sphere to stop me! Jupiter lightning crush!"

A sickle of lighting soared through the air at the speed of light toward the tiny sphere. The lightning diced through the tiny ball as if it were butter. 

Juna grinned evilly. The sphere burst into jelly that took a hold of Jupiter.

He struggled through the strange sticky substance, but the tighter it seemed to get. Juna opened her fist, and closed it abruptly and in synch the jelly absorbed the life out of him and exploded.

Jupiter walked dizzily towards Juna who shoved her heel into his face. To her avail he collapsed. 

Mars closed his eyes, charging up a bolt of flames on his gloved fingertips. "Mars…celestial….FIRE!"

A series of fire triangles shot at Aricia who slashed through them with her fingers.

"Venus Crescent Beam SMASH!", a cylinder of light burst from David's index finger and equally destroyed by Aricia.

The raven haired Amazon clenched her fists together, making a loud battle cry of war as the concrete rumbled and burst into thousands of pieces. Her eyes rolled back in her head and a concentration of volcanic fire burst from underneath the ground and at the boys. 

Swiftly Venus ran towards Matt and shoved him out of the way. The large geyser of flames charged right over them. They were saved. Venus laughed over-confidently and sent a golden chain around Arica's neck. 

"This fight is over!", Venus assured.

Aricia laughed loudly. After a few moments her laughter ceased abruptly. "For once you are right.", she smirked. 

Her eyes glowed a divine shade of pearl and she completely covered the two soldiers in a white box of energy.

Aricia snapped the thin chain and stepped towards the box that held Sailor Mars and Sailor Venus.

"You are in a piece of my world you buffoons.", she smirked, tucking her breasts back into her low cut blouse. "In this box you will feel everything I want to you feel.", she giggled devilishly. 

"Not if I have something to do about it!", Venus yelled at her. "Venus Crescent Beam SMASH!"

Another ray of energy burst from his index finger and at the wall of the box. The beam just dissolved at its surface.

"You idiot.", Aricia laughed. Slowly she closed her eyes.

Matt and David could feel the box shake violently. Suddenly Matt couldn't help but feel hateful…if he had a knife he would slash his wrists right now. He felt so angry at everybody who had wronged him…he wished he had just stayed out of this, let that stupid city die…its not like they didn't have it coming…selfish little bastards…so blind and stupid…maybe they _did _deserve to die.

Venus felt so vicious…how dare his team put his through this, why should he help them anyway, they are just backstabbers loyal to that sorry excuse for a leader…he comes back to try to help the team even though they didn't listen to him when he said the city was trouble…this is what he deserves, this is what he gets…screw everyone…and Matt…the leader of this madness, if he was out of the picture, maybe people would listen to me more often…that bastard Matt…Cole's personal cheerleader if you as me…I-…I..I HATE HIS FUCKING GUTS!

Viciously Venus lunged at Mars, pinning him to the ground and punching him fiercely and Matt hitting him right back and kicking him in the stomach. 

Aricia grinned in sick amusement.

Cole closed his eyes, and holding out his hands he yelled with all of his might. "SATURN CRISIS POWER!"

__

Will the crisis power of Eternal Sailor Saturn work for a second time since the final fight with Maddox. Or will it fail and Saturn will plunge to his certain death? And which former recurring character will come back to either save the day or destroy it? Find out in chapter 27 of the Starlight Soldiers!


	27. Chapter 27: Intervention

Chapter 27: Intervention 

Cole quickly soared down toward the ground as he faithfully kept his hands reaching towards the sky. His only hope was to transform with the purity chalice…and if it was not successful the fall from the police tower would certainly kill him. 

The purity chalice form of transforming himself had always proven itself useful to Cole, giving him a temporary huge surge of power…but at a price, the rush of power could easily jolt his heart and kill him as well…especially when used multiple times in a short amount of days. The purity chalice had never failed him before so he had to hope that it could remain so.

Cole held his eyes shut as tightly as he possibly could, it seemed like hours when in reality he had just been hurled out of the window half a second ago. With a quick concentration he could feel his hands sparking violently. He could feel the gloves forming over his hands…The sparks became more concentrated though, he could feel each bolt of electricity wriggle through his veins and it was hurting him very badly…but amazingly he was falling much slower than before. 

A drum bumbled in his ear…he could feel the heavens tearing themselves open and sending a divine cylinder of lightning down upon him. He could hear the winds rip the air into shreds and feel his shortened breath, it was only another moment before the blue bolt would strike him and the chalice would descend from above to save him. 

The pressure of the sparks was driving him to his limits, his eyes couldn't hold shut any longer. Reluctantly he released them and could see the bolt of lightning coming down at him. His widened his arms in an embrace for it. The lightning made its way down and struck him directly in the chest. Dangerous amounts of energy tensed his body and arched his back toward the sky. His pupils were at their maximum dilation. 

His bones began to pop and his skin tighten as a canvas does to a drum; his ribs were grossly visible through his shirt which was already beginning to rip into shreds. Cole struggled to keep his arms up, the chalice would make its arrival down any moment now…he just hoped that it could make it in time. The wizardly white uniform was rising through his skin. 

He squinted to search for to golden relic in the sky…but something seemed to be going terribly wrong. Transforming into an eternal form usually hurt, but this was excruciatingly painful…even his teeth were loosening. Blood was accumulating underneath his fingernails and his abdominal area was on the verge of bursting. 

Cole took short nervous breaths; his uniform was beginning to fade away and was becoming his raw flesh again. The bolt of energy was slowly dissolving into a funnel of wind and the winds were now starting to die as well.

This was it, he thought. This would finally be his end. He was falling at full speed again and after a lifetime worth of fighting superhuman enemies and winning battles against the essences of evil itself, gravity, in his human form, would be his downfall.

He released a single tear from his eye and embraced the hands of death.

A thread snapped in his head. The crystal Father Holloman had given him was radiating a divine pearl glow. He felt a small crack in the wind…the hands of death finally had their grasp over him…only they really felt like hands. He felt as if he was being carried down into his fate…death seemed to have fingertips that gently squeezed at his waist. 

He felt himself nearing the underworld, rocks hurled upwards like rockets to the side of him. He could feel the debris on his face. Slowly and gently he was placed on the ground, his angel had the kindness to place him on his back. 

He wanted to see how this new world would look like, but was afraid that opening his eyes again would truly mean that he was dead. Death was so interesting, he didn't even feel an ounce of pain…aside from the pain that strained at his body as it was. His muscles still felt so burned out and deflated from his failed attempt at transforming, he always imagined that after death there would be no pain. Aside from the pain that he felt of failure and from his yearns for his friends.

Feeling a sort of burst of courage Cole decided he would open his eyes. Maybe there could be some way he could make it back to the real world…just like Oswald…or Ulayly…or whatever his name was that was in a book that he read when he was younger. 

Taking a deep breath he bolted his eyes open. 

He had never felt like such a dumb jackass in his life. He was still very much alive, just on his back on the concrete in front of the police station. 

He turned crimson, but quickly searched for his scepter through the rubble that had apparently been broken as he fell…but everything felt so real as he was falling, like someone was pulling him down into the unknown, but he had to make his way back to his friends. 

He was sure beyond a reasonable doubt that his scepter was almost exactly where he fell…but his muscles felt deflated and worn down which made things feel very difficult for him.

For once he was correct. His rod was laying under some chunks of concrete. Weakly he wriggled it out and held it securely with what little grasp he had. 

He felt very weary of using his scepter to transform, it could be a little much for his body to handle, but he was a lot more resistant to another fall like that in his Sailor form. 

He cried out to the scepter and with a shiny burst of light Cole reemerged in his uniform. Surprisingly he felt stronger, not weaker in this state, but far from 100%..

Cole slowly made his way out of the small crater made by his fall; he had never been so grateful to be alive, his survival was a miracle. He looked forward to locate his friends and his heart sunk. 

He had no idea what happened, they all seemed to be doing fairly well against the Amazon women…but now their ultimate destinies seemed very clear but glum. The first who stood out to him were Mars and Venus, who barbarically fought each other in a blood colored rectangular prism while Aricia laughed without any notice to Cole. She seemed to be concentrating very deeply despite her laughter--as if she was somehow forcing the boys to fight, toying with their feelings very viciously.

Next he saw the other 2, helpless and weak on the ground while Juna and Posindra continued to thrash them around with endless attacks. Cole felt so obligated to help them…but he was not sure if he had the strength to do so.

He definitely did not want to mess with the purity chalice again, it almost killed him and his muscles were still very raw from his first attempt. 

For the moment, they didn't seem to notice him, it bothered him that after so much lightning and light in the sky that they didn't notice anything…and he had no idea where Arodice was. She could be anywhere. If he made a surprise attack it could fail and probably hurt more than help. Non of his attacks could finish these women off in one blow and his ice rings were too slow to capture everyone in time and with Arodice still out of sight, that could prove very unhelpful. Cleansing them was out of the question as well…that seemed to stop working after the Negaverse empire was destroyed. 

Shaking away all of his thoughts he grasped reality--he had absolutely nothing to lose. If he could just maybe charge up and attack long enough and without causing them to notice him, maybe he could injure them or at least bring them to his level of health. It was worth a try.

He quickly ducked back into the small crater and held out his right palm. Closing his eyes he tried to imagine the sun…the almighty with the power of infinity, such a key source of life. He needed an equal power right now. 

His palm pulsed…a very tiny sphere of orange energy was forming in his palm. Cole couldn't pay attention to that, he needed to envision it to be a grand source of energy. With these thoughts the sphere doubled in size. 

He wished he could just yell like he usually did in the back of his mind.. Crying out the attack could make its size increase exponentially if he held his voice out long enough…but that could make him noticeable to the amazons. 

Instinctively he held out his other palm as well. The sphere doubled again and continued to grow very slowly. He had to hurry, he could only imagine how much longer his friends could last.

~*~*~

Posindra clutched Mercury by the wrist and flung him into the ground again.

"Will you hand over your scepter willingly?", she asked.

"No!", Mercury shot back. He still felt groggy from his sleep.

Posindra grinned. "You know that I can kill you anytime I want. Don't you?" 

Mercury spit in her face. Posindra frowned.

"I see.", she continued. She pulled him up. "Come on, Mercury. Try and attack me."

He cocked back his arms, preparing a beam. Posindra smirked and shoved her heel into his stomach, causing him to keel over. 

"Not.", she cackled. "Take this!"

She bent over and pressed her razor sharp nails into his neck. Her nails sunk deeper and deeper into his skin. Mercury tried his hardest not to give her the satisfaction of groaning. She pulled her blood tipped nails out of him and slammed her fist into his back. Mercury wailed in pain.

*~*

Jupiter continued to stand despite his serious injury. He refused to give up. He managed to pull himself onto his feet, breathing heavily and sweating profusely.

"I must admit that you are quite persistent for a human.", Juna smiled. "But you are no match for me."

"JUPITER OAK EVOLUTION!", he yelled, sending thousands of leave shaped grenades at her.

Juna shook her head disappointedly. The grenades began to fade before they could even reach her. "If I didn't know any better," she smirked. "I would say you were running dangerously low on energy." Juna sent a tiny sphere of energy at him.

Jupiter fell back on his rear. She was right, but he was not about to let her know that.

A small antenna sprouted out of Jupiter's V-shaped headpiece. He managed to come back onto his feet, but this time it was twice as difficult as before. 

"Jupiter…", he breathed heavily. "Thunder…", he took another moment to take a few more breathes. "Crush!"

A tiny bolt of lightning formed over the antenna but before it could be released the headpiece completely dissolved into dust as were Jupiter's gloves. 

"No…", Jupiter said nervously to himself. " This can't be happening. Not now!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, kid.", Juna mocked. "But it is."

His uniform was slowly fading away and his human form was becoming more distinct. Juna released a neon blade from her palm and slowly walked towards him.

*~*~*

Saturn kept his concentration and his energy sphere was about as large as his upper body. He could faintly feel the life energy of his friends…he couldn't sense Venus and Mars' because of that box that they were in…but he felt the other two, both dangerously low. 

He intended for the sphere to be a little larger than what it was…but his friends lives were at stake. He opened his eyes and cautiously reared his head above the indent in the ground. He needed to get the women away from his friends so they wouldn't be at as high a risk of getting hurt. 

A drop of cold sweat maneuvered down his cheek. Juna was approaching an untransformed Drake with a long blade. He needed to get her away from him. He turned his head to the side. Posindra was beating Mercury into the ground maliciously and Aricia still seemed to be concentrating on messing with Venus and Mars who were attacking each other like two territorial wolves fighting for leadership. Arodice was still no where to be found. 

He placed the sphere on his right palm which was quivering violently. This was his only true shot. 

"HEY!", Saturn yelled. The 3 women turned around to him. He felt terrified. Desperately he cocked his hand back and launched the sphere. 

Everything just seemed to be going insanely slow. The sphere revolved at mach speed in the air and seemed biased towards Juna more than the others. Probably because she was in the center of them, but the explosion would probably reach the other two nevertheless. 

Snapping out of their trance, Venus and Mars looked out towards them. They said nothing and ducked. The sphere was going to zoom very close to the box. 

Mercury managed to turn his head in time and used this opportunity to cover his head with his arms. Drake seemed overwhelmed at first, the sphere was coming right at him, but in a split second he leaped onto the ground.

The huge energy ball barely scathed the box that held Mars and Venus, but still shattered it into millions of pieces. Aricia turned to see where it would hit directly.

Posindra slowly stepped to the side, but Juna fiercely held out her blade, ready to slice it in two. 

It gained more ground and was inches away from Juna.

In a perfect angle a yellow beam from above struck the sphere and absorbed its fiery impact. 

Saturn yelled out a curse and looked up at the Police Station. Arodice was the one who sent the beam.

With a cat's agility she jumped from the 7th story of the building and landed on her feet. 

"You have ruined my plans, Sailor Saturn, for the last time.", she growled at him.

Saturn had never been so frightened in his life. If he ran forward he would have to deal with Juna, Posindra, and Aricia, but if he went towards the bulding, he would have to deal with Arodice. 

"SATURN ICERING---WRAP!", he yelled out of desperation. A large series of rings sprouted from his palms and squeezed at Arodice. 

Effortlessly she crushed the rings with her shoulders and continued to walk slowly towards him. 

Saturn ran forward, but was greeted by the other three, Juna especially vicious with her long blade in hand.

"MERCURY BUBBLE---BLAST!", a voice called from behind the 3 women.

A thick haze covered the entire area. Saturn was virtually blind, he had no idea where to go.

Somebody reached at him and dragged him to the side. It was Mercury, his aura was very strong for some reason. He had never been so happy to see…well be near him at least. Mercury still had Cole by the wrist and lead him a good distance from the building. He could feel several others beside him. Obviously they were Mars, Venus, and Drake.

"YOU CAN NOT HIDE FOREVER, SAILORS!", Arodice roared over the mist.

One of the taller silhouettes charged a moon shaped ray on his index finger.

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM---SMASH!"

A large cylinder of light charged from his finger and flared into the distance. 

That was definitely Venus. 

Mercury finally released his wrist, to his relief the mist was still holding strong…now if only they weren't all of the verge of dying they could probably hold a fair defense. 

"You guys, come over here quick! They got me!", cried Cole's voice from the other side of the hazy wall.

Saturn looked curiously at himself. "I didn't say anything!"

The others searched blindly around themselves for Cole.

"I'm right here!", both voices said in unison. "Stop doing that!", they both scolded.

"What the hell is going on!?", demanded Venus.

"You guys, I see Cole, they have him over there!", Matt's voice yelled.

"Wait a second!", Mars yelled. "I did not say that."

"They are tricking you!", the voice insisted. "Hurry, they have him by the throat."

"I can assure you guys I am not being strangled.", Saturn pressed. "This must be some trick." He reached around for the others. He could feel someone's arm.

"Matt, look out, they are about to grab you!", Cole's voice yelled.

Mars impulsively kicked Cole away from him. 

"What was that for!", Saturn yelled.

"That's it! I cant take it anymore!", Mercury hollered. "MERCURY---AQUA ILLUSION!"

A large gush of water flushed away the haze and revealed the women opposite of them, and their team fully assembled on their side the whole time.

"AHA!", Saturn cried victoriously. "You were all lying all along!"

"Pleasant observation, Sailor Saturn.", Posindra said with her eyes rolling sarcastically. "I see you aren't nearly as tough as you were before. I guess somebody was just too scared to face us head on and ran away with his tail between his legs as usual."

"This is your final day alive. This city-and world for that matter is ours!", Aricia giggled. 

The girls lined up and charged up their palms with energy.

Saturn turned to his friends. "You guys, we have to try and beat them. It cant end this way. Despite how hurt we all are, we have to go down with a fight!"

Venus cut in. "He is right. Let's do this!"

"I am all of juice you guys.", Drake frowned. "But good luck!"

"Wha-", Venus started, but stopped. They needed to hurry and fight back before the women launch their attack. 

The men formed a horizontal line as well, all four charging up energy between them.

"SAILOR PLANET POWER!", the men yelled, while Drake stood behind and watched. 

"AMAZON SASS POWER", the yelled even louder.

"READY!?", Saturn and Arodice asked in unison.

"READY!" , the others responded.

"FI-"

A great life energy became visible, the attacks were held on both sides. 

The crystal around Cole's neck glowed a white as it did earlier…he felt so nauseas…it was as if it was repeating everything from before.

A blinding flare of light formed between the two sides. Violent winds rushed outwards and pushed against both sides. Drake dug his fists into the ground to keep from flying back.

The women did the same with their heels.

Cole had never felt such a powerful life energy before. Not a good one. 

He squinted his eyes to see what was in the large dome of light. He had felt it before…but never so strong, he just couldn't pinpoint its identity. 

The large embodiment of energy gave a final blinding flash and began to fade, both sides eager to see who had intervened with such a powerful presence. 

9 mouths dropped in synch. The figure was almost 7 feet tall with pale white skin and deep purple eyes. 

Cole could almost collapse. Although he was slightly different in appearance and in power level…Maddox had returned. 


	28. Chapter 28: The Messiah

The Training Begins

Maddox nullified the attacks with a single glance. Cole was almost in denial that he returned. He looked so at ease and so aware of his powers that he could just whatever he asked. 

He even looked slightly taller, his armor now was much lighter, almost a body shield with a large trench coat hanging down his slender body. His skin was so much paler than before, he looked almost human if it wasn't for his great height. Cole looked down at his palms--there was no sword in one which was a big change for such a brilliant swordsman as Maddox. Maybe it was still in Radix's other world.

Maddox looked at the sinking sun and then to Arodice. 

"Good morning, ladies.", he spoke. His voice was still as powerful as ever. "I haven't seen you since you were left jobless--thanks to me, that is."

"Get over yourself you know-nothing has-been!", Aricia growled. "You are a failure who was better off dead!"

"Will you be doing something about that, Aricia?", he smirked. She cowered down slightly.

Juna grabbed her long blade and hurled it at Maddox. He smiled and grabbed it by the end with ease.

"Why thank you.", he added sarcastically. Maddox squeezed at the end tightly as the sword began to burst into dust. "I say somebody has horrid taste in swords, don't you think?"

Arodice glared in disgust. "You are a traitor. How dare you help these twits which you have spent your life trying to kill! You are a worthless disgrace who deserves death."

Maddox chuckled softly and turned to the boys. "Let's go men."

"Over my dead body!", Juna roared. 

"Whatever makes you happy.", he said softly, sending a horrific blast at them from his finger. The entire Police Building collapsed over them.

Calmly he glanced into Cole's eyes and aimed his palm at his head. A bright spark pulsed out of his hands and everything went black. 

As Cole awoke his eyes painfully adjusted to the bright lights that did not come from a source but rather just were. He felt a hang-over like feeling and on cue rested his palm on his warm forehead. 

He glanced to his sides and to his relief there were his friends lying peacefully on their backs and breathing so innocently and quietly. He couldn't help but smile warmly at them. Slowly he reached for Matt to wake him up when he felt a presence on his shoulder. 

He gasped silently and looked to his side. This new Maddox was behind him.

"I see you have woken, Cole," he said solemnly "It wasn't wise to take on those women, you know." Cole felt his heart sink, he had just put his new threats behind him and he liked the feeling. "They are much too powerful for you."

Cole stared into Maddox's eyes. Their violet color seemed to be the only familiar thing about Maddox, everything else was so different. How could someone like Maddox change so much in so little time? He felt so many questions coming up his throat, he had to ask Maddox something, he opened his mouth to speak.

"M-Maddox…how did--"

Maddox cut him off and rested his long fingers on his lips. 

"I am afraid there are many questions that will never be answered," Cole frowned at his response. "And some will just require time and patience. Until then I am not ready to answer them quite yet. Just know you have helped me in more ways than you could possibly know," he lifted his fingers away from Cole.

Cole rushed his question before Maddox could cut him off. "I don't understand though"

"You will."

Cole looked at Maddox for a moment but a yawn broke the silence between them both. The others were beginning to wake.

Matt stretched his arms over his head and rubbed his eyes. He looked at Cole and Maddox and then down his body. "Why aren't we transformed anymore?"

Before Maddox could answer Andrew and Drake asked in unison, "Where are we?"

Cole impulsively laughed to himself when he felt pressure in his chest.

"What the hell are you doing here!?", David growled. Maddox frowned. "It wasn't enough that we saved your life, but now you are back to haunt us again! Take us back to the city, we have a fight to finish!"

Cole sighed. "Calm down, David. Maddox is good now."

"Good my ass!", David yelled. "Open your eyes, he wants us to think that so he can kill us while we have our backs turned. Just because he looks different and doesn't have that stupid sword doesn't prove a thing to me."

Andrew ignored David's outburst and just spoke. "So you really are Maddox?" 

As Maddox began to open his mouth, David rudely interrupted. "Damn straight he is Maddox, just as slimy and ruthless as ever.", David grabbed his scepter. "VENUS STARLIGHT POWER!"

"David, stop it!", Cole yelled. But he was too late. A sphere of energy formed around David and Sailor Venus emerged angrily.

Aiming his scepter threateningly at Maddox ,Venus grinned slyly. "You want to take us on, you have to get through me first. I have learned a thing or two since we last met!"

Cole looked at Venus with reason. "Venus, just give him a second to ex-"

Maddox interrupted, "No Cole, David does not want to accept what is right in front of his eyes. I will take care of him."

Maddox rose and walked towards the center of the large, bright chamber.

"I will tell you once, boy, and this goes to all of you. I am here to train all of you to be hundreds of times stronger than you currently are. In this chamber you will learn new techniques and fighting skills that are unimaginably powerful, right now most of you are probably two percent of the power of I possess…so I urge you Sailor Venus, drop your scepter at once."

Venus laughed evilly. "You may have everyone else convinced, but I can see right through you, you are just as weak as ever, I can feel it." He walked towards Maddox in the center. "Say goodbye, Maddox"

Venus concentrated strongly and clenched both of his fists tightly. Power surged through him and his veins bulged out of his body. Maddox just stared calmly at him.

With harnessed fury Venus swing his free fist at Maddox with all of his might.

Maddox moved his own hand swiftly and grabbed a hold of Venus' hand before it came close to him. He gripped his fist tightly, showing no sign of struggle at all and then in one quick moment he flung Venus forcefully back many feet away. 

Cole ran to Venus' aid and finally saw him laying tensely on the ground with his scepter several feet from his hands and his body back to its human state.

Cole offered his hand to David but rudely he shoved the offer away and struggled to get himself back up. He bent over painfully to grab his scepter and walked back to the others without a word to Cole.

Cole walked towards Maddox.

"You have become so much more powerful, Maddox.", Cole observed. "Please teach all of us everything you know and the entire world will be grateful."

Maddox glared angrily at David and then back to Cole with a slightly calmer expression. "My training will be grueling, painful, but will make you all powerful Soldiers worthy of facing all opponents. Without it you will surely die before you can get any further than you are now."

Cole looked to his friends for support but all he received was blank stares.

Drake hesitated but was the first to speak. "I'm all for it, Cole, anything to get rid of whoever is threatening the Earth."

"Well if you two are for it, how can I say no?", Matt smiled. "Let's go for it!"

"Yeah!", Andrew agreed.

Cole looked to David who nodded slightly in approval. "Then its unanimous." 

He turned to Maddox.

"We are ready, Maddox.", Cole smiled.

The former bounty warrior loosed a slight sign of emotion. "Then let the training begin." 


	29. Chapter 29: Too Far from Home

_Was it really him?_, Cole contemplated, _Was it truly Maddox who saved my life mere moments ago?_ Cole managed to grasp the fact that Maddox was a new person now, but not the fact that someone who he had left so broken and wrecked apart would save his life.

__

He had wanted to ask Maddox ever since he had arrived into his mysterious dimension but Maddox wouldn't let him; Maddox himself has been so mysterious ever since he returned, but why?

What secrets did he hold? Are the Sailor Soldiers only a mere percentage of Maddox's true strength as he said and if so, why couldn't he destroy the Amazon Quartet himself and most importantly to him why does Cole constantly lose himself every time he transforms? He opened his eyes at last.

They were permitted a 10 minute resting period before the training would begin, Cole had napped for 5, but it seemed like an eternity. The entire zone seemed so quiet and still. The others lay peacefully to his sides. Were they thinking the same things as he?

Softly he turned to his side and arose cautiously to not wake the others.

He walked forward slightly and the chamber eerily configured itself. The boys disappeared from his sight and a huge laboratory faded into an existence. It was so large and advanced that it was quite overwhelming to gaze at everything. There were things from microscopes to large computers that actively flared lights and humming noises.

Why hadn't he noticed it before? It seemed much too easy to enter, so easy that he had no idea how he entered and worse; he didn't know how to exit. It just appeared.

Alone in a corner was an average size computer monitor that hurt Cole's eyes slightly. He couldn't read anything that was on the screen if there even was anything there. It was just a contained white glare that was too unbearable to gaze at anymore, but it was like a giant flame and Cole was the ignorant moth.

With his elbow over his eyes he continued to walk slowly towards the screen and conveniently the light became dimmer; he could even make out a few words.

Squinting his eyes, he could read about everything, but to his disappointment it was very hard to understand. It was mainly just graphs and charts with some foreign characters he had never seen in his life. There was only one word he could make out; it was the word "Silver". Cole didn't understand what silver had to do with anything, but whatever it was it was really important to Maddox.

The screen scrolled upwards automatically. The word "Silver" must have been written hundreds of times in different sentences. The characters were really starting to give him a headache for some reason and he felt sickly.

He leaned away from the monitor and felt the hairs on his back rise. Someone was breathing behind him. He looked up and Maddox was looking down at him sternly.

"M-Maddox," Cole started, he felt so nervous around someone so powerful and huge not to mention guilty. "I was looking for you when this lab appeared.", he insisted "I couldn't help but notice the bright monitor--It really caught my eye." Cole smiled innocently to try to charm his way out of it. To his chastise Maddox's expression remained firm.

"Was there anything you needed, Cole?", he asked softly. This made Cole shiver. His kindness was killing him.

"I-I dunno," he quivered "I mean I do know, but I guess it isn't important right now." He feigned a smile "I suppose I'll take that rest you offered."

Quickly Cole began to walk the way he came.

"Yes."

Cole turned back. "What?"

"I said yes."

"Yes to what?"

"Yes."

Mystified, Cole smiled and headed towards the resting area.

-------

Arodice cackled hysterically on her large throne elevated 60 feet high. Three sets of marble stairs trailed from the front and both sides, ironically right where the fallen police station once stood.

An older man hobbled slowly up the many steps with a bowl of delicious looking fruit, the most appealing a bundle of shiny red grapes. As the man approached to the final steps Arodice's smile faded and was replaced with a bitter snarl.

"What took you so long, human!?", she snapped ungratefully. Seductively she crosses her legs and glared down at him. "Well what are you waiting for!?"

The old man took his shaky hand and pulled off a grape from the bushel. Slowly his hand quivered its way to her mouth where she bit it recklessly, barely missing his finger.

Arodice closed her eyes and savored the taste it left in her mouth. She pulled a mirror from her side and looked at her beautiful face.

"Look at this!", she roared. The old man's heart nearly flew from his chest. "I have grape juice all over my mouth--wipe it off!"

The feeble man looked down at the basket, he did not bring a napkin with him. With no other choice he unraveled his plaid scarf from his neck and put it towards her mouth.

Arodice glared and snatched it from his grasp. "Don't wipe my face with such a dirty rag...how about you lick it from my face?", she growled. The man stood not knowing how serious she was "Well hurry up, I don't have all day!"

She closed her eyes and waited.

The man shrugged and moved closer to her and unsheathed his dry tongue. Shaking slightly more violently, he went up another step and put his face close to hers. Slowly he licked the sweet juice from below her bottom lip and around her mouth. Her face was so soft and pale, she was a beautiful creature indeed.

There was one more dab of juice on the corner of her lips, he curved his tongue to delicately remove the juice. She tasted so delicious to him, with a face as delicious as a foreign treat. His heart began to race and he became entranced by her. His tongue curved from the side of her lip to the center and worked its way into her mouth...

Arodice's eyes bulged open in horror. She spat the muscle from her mouth and gave him a vicious look of an angry beast.

"You bastard!", she roared, shoving her heel into his crotch and knocking him violently down the steps with the fruit falling all over him. The old man tumbled down to the very bottom with his head facing the same side as his buttocks. More than a dozen other lifeless men lay beside him and even more covered the other flights of marble steps.

Another set of heels came walking toward the center set of stairs and suddenly halted in front of the long dead old man. The blue skirted creature bent over and took a grape that had landed on his chest. She ate it cheerfully.

Slowly she marched up the steps to come face to face with Arodice.

"What?", she asked

Posindra ignored her tone and started. "Juna and Aricia want to know if you want control over this place called New York City?"

Arodice rolled her eyes "Just destroy it, I couldn't care less."

Posindra frowned. "Arodice, are you ever going to get up from that throne of yours, there is still a lot of work to do if we want to take over the world. Aren't you ever going to help out?"

She sneered evilly. "I don't about the world and I certainly don't care for helping out. I deserve this time to myself to do whatever I please.", seeing no sympathy in Posindra's eyes, Arodice began to feign a sob, throwing her face into her palms. "I have worked so hard to run the soldiers out of town!", she cried, sniffling loudly "All I ever wanted was time to rest and to think of so many ways to make Master happy...an-and its just too much to start all of that vigorous so soon." She moved her face to the angle of her arm "I want the boss to be soo proud of us, but I need time to think...I think I need to be alone now!", continuing to sob.

Posindra couldn't help but make a frown. "Very well, Ill tell the girls you aren't up for it right now," she said softly, feeling very sorry for her. "I hope you feel well soon."

Posindra emitted hundreds of spores into the air and in a hurdle of smoke she faded away.

Arodice opened one of her eyes and looked around her. No sign of Posindra or anyone else. She lifted her head and began to cackle all over again.

In the corner of her eye she saw a giant missile heading towards the throne. She turned and there was another one heading just as fast. With a sly grin she aimed her palms at them and redirected them with equal force towards each other.

One large explosion covered the sky and the helicopters and their pilots fell like rain in thousands of pieces.

"I've always liked fireworks.", she smiled naively to herself.

She felt a piercing thud on her hip. It was a large syringe with a simple skull engraved on the side. She looked down the steps and a large army of men began shooting at her.

Arodice rolled her eyes once again and inhaled deeply. In a moments noticed she expelled thousands of gallons of what was injected into her at the people as the shots finally stopped in chain. She laughed in pleasure seeing them melt like salted snails.

She looked behind her, indeed her most vulnerable spot and saw another squadron preparing to kill her with several tanks. Getting agitated she arose from her comfortable chair and hovered into the air.

"Get off of my back you inferiors!", she growled. Slowly she charged two great balls of fire in her palms and as soon as they where the size of the tanks she thrust them towards the tanks.

The flames hit and ignited a fiery death around the group of people as well as sending hundreds of buildings to their graves around them.

She lifted herself higher into the air and charged a ray of light on each of her fingers. She lifted her arms as high as she could put them and aimed them for the city. She fired each horrific ray at different sections of the city until it was nothing but a hurricane of thick smoke and acid.

Finally her face grew bitter and she formed a violent swirl of red flames around her that formed a cylinder over her and the throne. Leaving the city in silence for a moment she caused the cylinder spread at the speed of lightning to the sides of her. Thousands of cities fell to its rage in seconds.

All that remained was a desolated plain and now Arodice could see clear across the entire state; just blackness.


	30. Chapter 30: The Call of Nature

"Are you ready?", Maddox asked really not wanting an answer. "It begins...now!"

Maddox put his hand over a large red lever, pushing it down with ease.

The active and energized boys were sent to the ground like magnets to a refrigerator.

Andrew was the first to mumble something, but his jaw felt wired shut.

Maddox smirked triumphantly. "Yes I know you cant move."

David mumbled something loudly with his mouth closed that couldn't be understood by the others.

"Its because you are no in a chamber with gravity 14 times great than the Earth."

Matt grumbled something as well.

"Because I have worked in similar chambers for quite sometime and have mastered such a low amount of gravity. This will build your strength up real quick."

Cheerfully, Maddox grabbed 5 apples and placed one exactly 1 foot away from each boy.

"There was a reason I didn't feed you weaklings.", he said playfully. "Because if you are truly hungry, you will make your way to that apple. You have all day."

A tear almost formed in Matt's eye as his stomach growled loudly at the sight of the shiny fruit. Mustering all of his strength, Matt managed to push himself an centimeter closer to the fruit. His eyes shined with greed yet one more ounce of happiness.

Four hours passed and the other young men remained in the same place while Matt seemed to have gained an inch or two in the time. Maddox looked in disgust.

"You other four are so boring!", Maddox yelled. "How about we add yet another element of your human blood...". Maddox made his way to the apples, removing each one except for Matt's. "Competition!"

A few more hours passed and all except for David had seemed to progress at least a few centimeters.

_I am so hungry now.._.,thought Drake who's stomach growled unhappily. I need that apple more than Matt anyway, as he progressed a few centimeters more.

David stubbornly watched Drake and Matt slowly form frowns at one another while Maddox seemed more amused than anything.

"Although it sounds slightly...what is that word you humans use...corny! Anyway," Maddox began. "If you frown with such a strong amount of gravity present for you two...it will probably stay that way."

Tiredly they put their expressions to a more natural state.

Cole glanced at the apple for a moment. "I guess now that I think about it...I am sorta hungry...I bet it tastes good...so juicy...and round...and shiny...I got the least rest, so I deserve it more..."

He dragged himself a few more centimeters forward.

Why is it always those three that get all the benefits?, David thought bitterly. They are all such morons anyway, I need it more than all of them combined!, he insisted. I always do the thinking.

David slowly dragged his body up towards the apple.

That is so typical, Andrew said as he stared at the four boys who had each progressed towards the apple. I always have to be the one to sacrifice, the one who has to lag behind...I get hungry just as everyone else! And you know what Andrew, you are hungry right now. I will get that apple first!

Cole attempted to flew his arms slightly. If only I can gain control over this environment, I will be able to move the fastest, even if I do take a little break to adapt...

Maddox arose from his seat on cue. With a specific task in mind he walked into a small room, out the sight from the others.

He came back several hours later with an expensive silver tray with a large turkey, an entire double layered strawberry cake with white frosting and a single cherry on the stop, and a glass filled with juice and placed it behind the apple.

The boys couldn't help but to drool over the platter. The pressure was on.

With his raw and pinkish arms, Cole attempting to move in a swimming motion towards the plate, he had about 5 more inches to gain. Matt was still in the lead barely, with the other four at the sides of his calves.

_It's war!_ They all thought in unison.

Cole's arms felt very sore now that he seemed to have gained a strength over the room. He just had to get the food though, his stomach went wild inside of him.

_Sorry Cole, but you aren't gonna lead today..._Matt thought competitively. Slowly he slanted his body, blocking Cole from the upcoming feast.

Using his brute strength that he already possessed, Drake used every muscle in his body to move half an inch forward while Matt used his energy to block Cole.

David, who was in the middle of Matt and Drake pushed harder than he had been trying before and managed to come side to side with Drake. David positioned his right elbow carefully into a ninety degree angle and shoved the edge into Drake's side.

Andrew took their distraction as an opportunity to move into a somewhat of a lead. He gritted his strong legs into the ground and propelled very slowly forward to Drake's right side. He didn't care about the resulting pain any longer, just the benefit. With this in mind he curved his shoulder over Drake's head and headed left for the food.

Matt found it hard to turn back now that he was blocking Cole. It took a lot of energy to slant and he watched Andrew go for the food in horror. Cole watched Andrew go in a playful betrayal as well.

David glared and moved ahead of the pained Drake, who he earlier elbowed to the side and tried to block Andrew in his tracks, but to no avail. Andrew stopped David's trick by making David's head perpendicular to his left arm.

Andrew scrapped his knees a little more, the apple was in arm reach. He attempted to lift his right arm, but to no avail. With no other way he slid the arm in a snow angel position to the front of his head, another 30 minutes must have passed.

He stretched his fingers ever so slightly. For a moment he touched its shiny surface as the boys stared in disgust. He tipped the apple to the side with his middle finger and triumphantly held it in his hand.

Maddox grinned and headed towards the lever. "We have a winner! One the count of three the gravity levels will return to normal."

David glared at the shiny fruit that Andrew was too weak to bring to his mouth.

"One."

_Wow, Andrew really did it. Maybe he'll share._ Cole thought cheerfully.

_That delicious meal could have been mine...if it wasn't for that cheater, David..._,Drake groaned

"Two."

_If only I was more worried about Andrew and less about Cole, I could be eating in one second..._, thought Matt remorsefully.

"Three!"

Almost magically Andrew could lift the apple over his head as if he was symbolizing his victory. He stared out at the others cheerfully with accomplishment, drawing out the moment, when David jumped viciously on top of him and snatched the apple from his grasp!

Andrew dropped his mouth in horror while David savagely ripped the apple in two and shoved one half into his mouth whole.

Everything happened so fast that the others didn't know what to think and watched stupefied.

David reached for the other half of the apple when Andrew lifted his fist and threw it across David's face. Andrew sat on his chest and hit him across the head multiple times, ending with a punch to his gut.

He snatched the apple from the ground and stormed off with his platter out of sight.

The situation was too much for words. Even Maddox didn't quite know what to say at first. He took a moment to pause and then looked over at David who lay on the ground with a bloody nose and his hands over his stomach.

Maddox asked without sympathy. "Are you okay?"

"DID YOU SEE WHAT HE DID!", David roared from his back. "HE SHOULD BE BOOTED OFF OF THE TEAM, ITS NOT LIKE HE BELONGS HERE ANYWAY! HE WILL NEVER REPLACE TONY, EVER! HOW COULD HE DO THAT TO ME!?

"How could he do that to _you,_ how could you do that to him?!" , Maddox roared unhappily. "You are a sore loser, how can I waste my time making you boys into men when you act so foolishly so often.", Maddox glared coldly at David's pain. "That reward was his, not yours, and because of your ignorance you will stay behind and do this again." Maddox began to walk off but turned back for a moment. "And you can expect it to be twice as difficult! With the exception of David, the rest of you come with me to the next chamber, I am afraid you wont be eating today."

The others quickly followed him without question.

"As for you.", Maddox glared at David "I will deal with you in a moment."

Andrew threw the empty platter to the ground. "I HATE THIS!". hatefully he threw his empty glass of juice as well, shattering it into dozens of pieces. "I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO PROVE MYSELF TO THEM! EVER!"

Andrew dropped to his knees in anger and pounded his fists. "I will never be accepted!", roared. "I hate everything and everyone...I just cant take this team anymore!"

He grabbed a meatless piece of bone from the turkey and bit into it nevertheless, breaking the bone in two. "But...but, he will get his...I swear."


	31. Chapter 31:The Realization

Cole threw his body forward into towards the ceiling and with true force he kicked Sirix to his face, while landing on his own. Not the brightest of his fighting tactics.

He could lose if he didn't get up, but luckily his body was crisp with energy and wit, Cole was quite confident. He pushed himself back on his feet and turned cautiously to Sirix. He was staring directly through him as if his eyes were made of glass.

"SATURN LIGHTBEAM FLARE!", a jolt of energy burst from his headpiece and devoured Sirix in its fury. It was a kill or be killed situation.

Sirix was one of the first true enemies to ever outwit him, one of the first to mock his power…it was vital for him to defeat Sirix on his own.

The white mist cleared and Sirix stood unharmed and held a thing blade in his hand. He cocked it over his shoulder and Cole quickly jumped to the right. Sirix missed his target by the skin of his teeth.

There was only one thing for Cole to do. He threw himself to the ground and hurled the weight of his calves into Sirix's shins, knocking him over with ease. Cole rolled to his side and slid the blade into his grasp. He couldn't believe how much stronger the gravitational training made him feel.

Sirix was obviously down for the count, he merely groaned at his side, his chin to Cole's feet. He took this as an opportunity to finish him off. Slowly with dramatic progression, Cole prepared the blade over his head, ready to slice the alien in two…but a excruciating pierce went through his leg. Sirix pressed his nails into his calf and blood spurted as does a fallen water balloon. He could not move.

****

Sirix was pulling the same stunt as before, slowing taking Cole's features and strengths…could Cole possibly fail to the same trick as before? He struggled to move, but all he could muster was a shrewd shiver in his arms. Sirix had his face, his eyes…blonde hair began to sprout from his featureless cranium.

_"Saturn Nuclear AR-MA-GEDON!"_ cried a familiar voice. A familiar attack, but Cole was not the energy's creator.

From an angle the sphere broke into Sirix's skull and devoured his body into oblivion. Cole's blade magically shattered and he could move his body…but who sent that blast?

His own counterpart descended from the darkness and held a stern expression on his face. This wasn't what he expected. How could his own self…save his own self? Was it an imposter?

The sight of his bold eyes sent Cole to his knees. A cold sweat rushed down his spine and he took several heavy breaths. The stony foundation slowly formed into a pond and Cole could see his reflection through the water. He turned his head over, there was a sun, this was not supposed to happen. He splashed water on himself and observed his leg, all of the blood and the wound itself had disappeared. In fact, he didn't even feel tired anymore. He looked up cautiously at himself who continued to stare him down. Slowly he approached.

Cole had no idea of what he was supposed to say. Should he start with 'who are you?', perhaps? How about "Thank you?" But as soon as he stared into his own glance, words were just another option.

His self gave a helping hand to him. He didn't see the harm, he did save him, did he not? Cole warmly took his hand and arose, feeling as strong as ever.

"Are you okay?", his other asked calmly. He couldn't help but notice he was also transformed into his soldier uniform. "My name is Cole.", he offered his hand to shake.

"I can see that.", Cole responded nervously, but shook his hand. His double's grip was very firm…too firm actually…why, his hand began to ache…why was his other grinning?

Counter-Cole cocked his fist back and flung it into his face, knocking him into the shallow pond.

"What is your problem!?", Cole demanded. His other simply stood over him with his scepter pointing threateningly at his throat.

"Goodbye."

"Over my dead body!", Cole growled ironically, pulling his own scepter to his.

_Saturn Lightforce Crush!_, they yelled in unison.

A large bubble of energy domed over them. They were both thrust back.

Cole struggled to push himself up, but immediately held his scepter out.

_Saturn Nuclear Armageddon!_,they cried.

__

The force of the equally ferocious attacks neutralized each other.

__

Cole rushed at his double and they rammed heads and tried to force the other back.

__

Cole threw his foot over his double's calf and shoved him on his rear. With a merciless wrath he shoved the heel of his boot into his face and aimed his scepter at his throat.

__

Counter-Cole's leg shoved his together and he tripped. A tactic that Cole liked to used but never really experienced.

Cole rolled backwards before he could be pinned, but his double looked one step further and sprung forward. Cole countered but crushing him with his legs and throwing his body to the front of him.

He stepped onto his feet, but was blasted with a ray back to the ground. His other did the same, and found an equal reaction.

They both sent bright rays from their headpieces, trying to unrealistically over-power the other, but the beams had equal force over another. Yet both pushed their powers further. The wall of energy shattered and they bolt were jolted back with a passion.

If Cole were fighting himself, which he was in a way, he would flip forward at this point and attempt to pin himself down…so to counter this he jumped as high as he could and prepared a blast for the ground beneath him.

Counter-Cole however thought of this also and instead jumped high and shot the blast forward, blasting the ray at Cole's chest and sending him down like an empty coat dropped to the floor.

Counter-Cole victoriously walked towards his fallen double and prepared to finish his task, but he was in for a cruel surprise.

Cole released his golden sphere of light directly into his face. He had been charging it in his palms the second he fell to the ground.

Without walking towards his counterpart as he so foolishly did, Cole simply prepared a nuclear Armageddon away from him and intended to send it at him from afar.

He released the fury of the attack towards Counter-Cole, but the sphere was greeted with its own double. The two spheres fused as one when the combined force caused it to explode in both directions. Everything became black.

Cole opened his eyes and immediately noticed his uniform was gone, he only hoped County-Cole was in the same predicament. To Cole's disgust he was beginning to tire.

How was it possible to destroy someone who knew your every though, tactic, philosophy, and strength? What weakness could he possibly possess that he could use against his counter-self? What had caused him to lose every single battle besides unequal power? The answer hit him hard, but a grinned sadistically.

Cole ran towards his other who was still firmly implanted in the ground as he was only moments ago. Cole tapped his other kindly and offered a helping hand.

"Don't you see?", he insisted to his other. "We weren't meant to fight like this…we were meant to do the world good…to make it a better place."

Counter Cole stared blankly.

"I feel your pain.", Cole continued. "I understand how hard it is facing the death of our mother…our city…and losing the sanity and trust in our own team. Its so frustrating sometimes!"

"I know!", Counter-Cole broke out. "I hate it! I hate how I cant even say something, or do something without it stirring a big controversy. Nothing I do seems to make them happy!"

"Exactly!"

"If only there was a way to take everything--"

"--back to the beginning.", Cole finished. "And there is a way!"

"Really?", Counter-Cole asked skeptically. "But I have no idea how! All I wanted was to become powerful and defeat who needs to be defeated and avenge everyone else! Please, spare your wisdom! Perhaps we can play off of each other and make solutions to our problems!"

"Yes!", Cole agreed with a passion. "Yes! I will enlighten you! We can conquer the unconquerable with this knowledge, and I cant believe it took this long to realize it!"

"I don't know how you do it!", Counter-Cole nodded. "I am sorry for not seeing our true purpose of meeting one another!"

"As am I!"

A long blade sprung from the tip of his scepter which he held behind his back.

"So what is the secret to these problems we face?", Counter-Cole asked with great interest and excitement.

Cole hurled the blade into Counter-Cole's neck. His double was beheaded and a pool of blood gushed at his face and soaked his torn attire.

Cole turned, licked his blade, and began to calmly walk away.

"That would be to know your weaknesses, my friend.", he smirked.

__


	32. Chapter 32: The Separation

Cole moaned in his unconscious state as if he was filled with deep and unbearable pain. He tossed and turned, almost to force himself back into the real world. At the moment he was confined to the world of his dreams.

Maddox kneeled beside him calmly and glanced at the boy with pity. He looked away: he wanted to leave Cole alone and let him fight his demons like he needed to, but Maddox felt his own weaknesses taking control over him. That weakness of him was the power to love.

With a clench of a fist, Maddox smacked Cole across the face and let him roll along the ground. A veil of discomfort had been shattered.

On contact Cole's eyes shot open and their deep blueness pierced through the warriors heart. It looked as if Cole had seen death itself. Maddox couldn't help noticing the cold sweat trickling down his neck. Cole's eyes sent chills down the warriors spine.

Regaining his firmness, Maddox felt as if it was imperative at the moment to break the silence.

"Who was it?", Maddox asked coldly.

Cole's heart began to throb. "Who was who?", he asked dumbly. He knew perfectly well that Maddox wanted to know who he fought in his mental training session. He just couldn't let Maddox know who he really battled, who knows what that could tell Maddox about him.

"Who did you fight? You were supposed to do battle with one of your biggest threats, did you not?"

"Oh. That who...it was Sirix.", he wasn't completely lying anyway, he thought. He _did_ fight Sirix...but then his Counterpart killed him first.

Maddox frowned suspiciously. "Sirix? That imbecile...the way your body was reacting to the simulation, you seemed to be fighting a dead relative. You didn't seem well at all."

Cole looked down shamefully, "Well...I guess my subconscious felt he was pretty tough." He smiled falsely.

Maddox had an urge to press the subject was obviously hiding something from him, but he must be very tired. Instead he smiled with just as much falseness and remarked, "I suppose _I _just wanted to be the one you fought."

Cole smiled sincerely now, "I didn't find you threatening."

"Why is that, Cole?"

"Because I always knew there was purity in your heart."

Maddox glared and turned away. "Training begins in half an hour. You have half an hour to rest." He stormed towards the central chamber.

Cole didn't quite understand what had just happened, but he was glad that the pressure was off of him. He turned to pop his neck when he felt a strong pain. He could feel a thin gash across the back of his neck.

He became frightened. It must have been a coincidence...or at least he wanted to believe that. Could it be possible that Cole's strongest threat to himself _was _himself? Would simply being himself one day become his undoing. His head was groping with confusion. He did not feel the same anymore. He could almost feel his own blood on his hands. It almost felt as if he really did kill himself--a piece of himself that had barely managed to keep him alive for so long. With his own blade he took a piece of his humanity from him. The Cole that had experienced the beginning of this war would never be around to see the end.

And maybe that was for the best.


	33. Chapter 33: Forsight

Cole pushed his body upwards with a confident ease. With his fists pressing firmly against the ground he continued to do pushups in the strong gravitational chamber. Deep down he wished he would have rest when Maddox told him to, but there was just so much to think about…so much to consider for the next phase of this war.

He felt so empty now, as if a chunk of his humanity had been drained from him. He gritted his teeth at the thought of what was waiting for him back in the city. With this anger fueling his veins he managed to push himself up with his right hand alone.

His eyes bulged as sweat dropped to the earth as an anchor does in the ocean. He was without a doubt in the best shape of his life. He released the tension from his arm and sat for a quick rest.

He observed his biceps; they were just so much bulkier than they had ever been in his life. Out of curiosity his slid his drenched undershirt over his body. It tore as if it were paper. Cole looked down at his body; his abdominal muscles were so much more defined than he remembered them being, the progression of his body from Sirix to this point in time was astounding.

He could hardly recognize his own skin anymore. His calves were raw with pain, but they were almost beautiful…his entire appearance made him think back to a Greek sculpture he had seen once. He felt intimidated by himself, yet he was waiting for this moment where he could live up to his potential whenever the world was in danger. With a grin he silently hoped for danger. He rolled onto his stomach and began pushups with his left hand.

Against Maddox's orders, Matt put a halt to his physical training and took a moment to meditate. He closed his eyes and began to relax his body while mechanically chanting a foreign phrase.

He couldn't help but to think how powerful the women were, not only did they have pure strength and warrior like precision, but they tended to have other—more mystical abilities about them.

"_Give me the answers that I need…_", Matt moaned.

He could see Christie…how odd she was acting in the woods; she was nothing like herself…yet she knew so much. How could that be?

He was now looking directly into the eyes of Arodice. She and those other amazons _must_ have something to do with it…but how?

The room was filled with scents and colors that enshrouded Matt in their fragrances. Perhaps they have powers that they haven't revealed quite yet…

The colors rapidly faded. Matt's eyes shot wide open.

He pulled on the small tube on his bronze chain and glanced at it with horror. Quickly he untwisted the cap and attempted to tug the contents out. But it was to no avail. Whatever was in the tiny cylinder was now missing. Chills were sent down his spine and he stormed towards the exit of his private chamber.

Blindly, he ran directly into Maddox and was thrust backwards onto his rear.

"I need out, Maddox," Matt demanded.

"Why are you so tense? I do not understand your emotions?" Maddox reasoned calmly. He held his hand out to Matt, but he rose on his own.

"NOW!" he roared.

Maddox remained tranquil. "I really would not recommend that. Not only are you in an unstable mental state…but also, you may find what lies on the other side of this dimensional barrier quite shocking."

Matt ignored every word Maddox uttered. "Let me go now, Maddox. I am dead serious."

"I refuse to level with such barbaric com—What are you doing?" Maddox asked tensely as Matt held his scepter threateningly at his throat.

"I asked you nicely." Matt growled. "Now give me what I want."

Maddox looked down in disgust as Matt and looked at him with a powerful, but peculiar glare. "Your training is not complete, Matthew. You do not stand a living chance against anyone right now, this is your last chance to maintain my respect for you."

"I don't give a damn about your respect, or you for that matter." Matt leered.

Maddox lifted his palm ominously at Matt.

A blinding light formed within his fingers and coldly he sent it towards Matt. A loud jolt sounded and a white haze devoured the scene.

Matt opened his eyes to an open, large sliver door. All he could see was Maddox's dark silhouette. He lowered his scepter.

"Do what you must then. Your training ends now, Matt. If you close that door, you are never to come back here."

Matt nodded solemnly and walked slowly into the blackness of the door.

Maddox walked away as the door shut behind him and a strong blaze formed around the entrance. In the blink of an eye, the door burst into nothing and Matt was gone.

Maddox mumbled quietly to himself.

"_Matt, you are lucky that Silver has more faith in you than I ever will."_

And he exited.


	34. Chapter 34:Odyessy

The Mission

Duke grimaced fiendishly at Christie. Being contained in such a contained space with her presence was taking its toll on the teenage boy.

He realized that she was out of his league, not to mention taken, but she was so beautiful that he would absolutely dissolve without at least a kiss.

He glanced to his sides. The other 3 boys slept uncomfortably on the ground while Christie lay on her side quietly staring at a chain that Duke did not recognize.

He crept slowly towards her—there was even a scent about her that was enticing, he felt like a male dog, and Christie was in heat. He thought to himself about why he liked her so much. He supposed it was always being around her, he _had_ known her almost as long as Cole. It wasn't his fault she never gave him a second glance. In fact, they never really had had a decent conversation in the past, one that didn't involve Cole that is. Today should definitely be the day.

The ground was freezing; it was a hard stone that held the coldness of the chamber a little too well. Christie was only 4 feet away.

He cleared his throat; he figured, 'why should I go all the way. I should go the 60, she should come the 40. Its only fair.'

She paid no notice to him.

_Cough_

She clutched her locket affectionately with her back to Duke.

_Erm. Ughk ughk. COUGH!_

Christie turned her head slowly to him and smiled. She turned her back to him again.

"Christie, you bored?" he asked awkwardly.

She turned around slowly with some suspicion. "No, not really."

"Sure, you don't need company?"

"Fairly." She smiled warmly.

Duke homed in on the opportunity.

"Well." He started with a certain macho about him. "It must be a little lonely being stuck her all day with no other girl to talk to. I just want to know if you are doing good." He flashed his teeth falsely.

"No. I think you just want to make out with me." She smirked.

Duke turned tomato red in seconds.

"Of coarse not!" he defended "That was the absolute! Last thing I was thinking about! Not even, it wasn't even on the list.

"You don't need to be embarrassed." She said as she crawled to his chin. "You're kinda cute."

She grabbed his chin and put her lips to his.

Duke was stupefied and let himself slid to the floor.

"We…really…shouldn't…be…", he mumbled between breaths.

She moved her mouth away. "Doing this? I thought you were afraid I was lonely."

"I was!" he blushed. "I just never thought you'd…you know…Its not natural."

Christie frowned and turned her head head to the side.

Duke quivered. "What the hell!" he grabbed her and made his move. He gently pushed her to the ground.

"Duke," said a deep voice behind him.

"A little…busy…now…", he groaned and motioned away.

Duke felt a tap on his shoulder and gently moved his head from Christies'.

Rudely, he snapped his head to the side and glared up. "What do you want?"

He went dead pale.

Cole glared viciously down at him. He put his fist over his neck and pulled him up.

"IM SO SORRY!" Duke screeched. He didn't even bother to look back at Christie.

Cole lifted his fist and swung.

_SLAP!_

"Wake up!" Christie yelled, smacking Duke across the face repeatedly.

He regained his color. "Was I asleep this whole time?", he squeaked in a cold sweat.

"Uh, yeah." She looked puzzled.

"THANKYOU!" he yelled to himself.

"YOU ARE WELCOME", she yelled back. "We need to get out of here right now, Duke. This place is going crazy! The other prisoners are fighting guards and trying to escape. Apparently a really large attack has been made on the city."

"What?" he rose up quickly. "How big?"

Christie looked at him silently.

"How big?"

"I don't think there is anything left."

"Oh, god." He moaned. "Not everything. That just cant be."

"We should leave." Christie motioned.

"No!" Riley yelled as he rushed towards them. "We agreed we would stay when the big attack came. We cant back down. Who knows what above. We are safe here."

Christie looked out with tears in her eyes. "Don't you want to know what is out there? Isn't that a concern." Her lips quivered. "EVERYTHING IS GONE!"

She threw herself down in tears.

There was suddenly a powerful bang in the distance. A large thus sounded throughout the room.

"Was that what I thought it was?" Duke asked in horror.

"I am afraid so." Riley answered solemnly. "Tenth prisoner I have heard in the past hour, who knows how many in the other sectors."

Christie looked as if she was about to vomit

"Another reason we need to stay put. Its not the right moment yet. The Sailor Soldiers need to come."

"They may never come!" Duke roared. "They may let us rot in this hell hole! They don't care! They might even be dead!"

_Smack!_

Christie slapped Duke passionately. "Don't you ever say that again. Cole is not dead. I can feel him. He will come. I can feel it in my heart."

He ignored her.

"Where are the others?" he asked Riley.

"Basil and Jonah. Getting information. Devon seems to have wandered off." He replied coldly "I assume they shouldn't have too much of a problem answering some questions."

"How long have they been gone?"

Riley frowned. "Actually…they have been gone a while."

They looked into each other's eyes and ran towards the entrance.

"BASIL!"

"JONAH!"

They could only hear the echo of their voices.

"WHERE ARE YOU!" Duke bellowed.

They both blindly ran to the dim light at the entrance door.

Duke felt a large circle pressing against his forehead.

"We aren't trying to escape…" Riley reasoned calmly. "We just want to know where our friends are. Do you know…where they are?"

One of the guards grunted and motioned to a much larger guard who held each boy in one of his hands.

"Please let them go." Duke shivered. "They just wanted to ask a question."

"Get out." The guard growled.

"…What?" Riley asked calmly.

"….Too many prisoners." Another finished. "Leave…or we will kill…"

"You don't understand." Duke cracked. "It is apparently _a lot_ safer down here. We need to stay."

"Now."

"Sir, please let us stay." Pleaded Riley kindly.

_BANG!_

Duke flinched. Slowly he opened his eyes. The guard missed on purpose.

"We are going to leave now", Duke twitched nervously.

They both ran towards Christie as shots fired towards them.

Riley could feel one tear into the very edge of his pants. He could feel slight pain. It barely missed.

Duke rolled over to Christie.

"We HAVE to go!", he ordered and took her hand "Run!"

"But—", she attempted before Duke pulled her towards the exit.

He had a moment to look back. He could see Riley pulling Basil and Jonah along.

Ten bullets came flying at them from different guards and they all ducked appropriately. The exit was very near.

Riley squinted and could see that the door had been almost fully pounded down by other prisoners. It just needed slightly more force…

Being conscious of the bullets, Riley quickly cocked his leg back and pushed the steel door to the ground. He had never seen such intense light since school.

There were thousands of people on the ground and around the stairs. Impulsively they linked arms and pushed through the crowd.

It was a horrid experience. Duke could feel the dazed prisoners tearing through his skin with their nails, trying to stop their progress.

Riley angrily kicked others to the side and shoved people out of the way to make way up the many, many flights of stairs. Duke and the others did the same. Soon enough it felt as if the crowds were pushing them up opposed to down now. Riley couldn't help but feel sorry for all of those we were put in the cell unjustly like himself.

There were still quite a few steps to go and he had no idea how long they could chain together…but the crowd seemed to be fading towards the top of the stairs. This made him very nervous.

Soon enough they all unchained and stood at the last 4 steps. They couldn't believe they ran several hundred feet up without feeling more fatigue.

"Who is going to open the door?" Jonah asked.

"I don't know…the crowd must have died off here for _some _reason." Riley reasoned.

"But they _told_ us to leave…Right?" Duke asked.

The boys nodded.

Christie groaned and effortlessly turned the knob and opened the door.

Devon stood proudly in the doorway.

"Devon!", Basil yelled. "You are okay!"

"Damn straight.", he looked at the banged up and sweaty men. "You all look like crap though. What's up with that?"

"They fired their weapons at us to get out." Jonah groaned.

"I thought you didn't want to leave, Devon." Duke questioned suspiciously.

"I told you…there was a major attack coming…and apparently, looking at all of the haze…it happened. What else could get so many people in an uproar."

"Just be lucky you are alive.", Riley spoke. "They could have shot us dead."

"Oh, they tried to shoot me too.", Devon grinned proudly.

"When?", Duke asked suspiciously.

"When I opened this very door.", he nodded. "Two guards, huge guns…" Devon walked to the side of the entrance and bent over. He held two state of the art machine rifles.

"Wh—where did you get…those…", Jonah asked.

"Where do you think?", he snarled, motioning to the two unconscious guards lying behind him.

"Ahh!" Duke panicked as he stepped out the door. "Lets shove them on the stairs. They are creeping me out!"

The others stepped over the guards to the other side of the entrance as Cole and Devon shoved the two guards slowly past the door and on the last steps.

Devon stretched and wiped his hands on his shirt. "Now that that is that, we need to get out of here."

Christie looked over the edge of the platform. "Guys…I think we are on the roof level of a military base…it wasn't a prison…"

"Ugh, I could have told you that." Devon groaned.

"How are we ever gonna get out of here if we are all of the way on this…" Duke glanced to the left. "Is that…whoa…is…"

"A 1034 Aero Jet. Yes. It is." Devon grinned. He jingled something in his right hand. "And look what I found in that guards pocket."

"You aren't seriously going to drive to steer it into the city?" Christie yelled. "You are crazy if you are."

"Who said I was driving?" Devon grinned.

"Me?" Christie snarled. "I don't—"

"He means me." Jonah interrupted. "M-My dad is a pilot…and I even have a license to operate certain types of jets…but with a licensed pilot and not this kind of jet!"

"But you know how to operate this baby." Devon urged. "And that's all that matters. You can…wing it…", he snickered.

Christie rolled her eyes at the joke. "Its dangerous."

"But it's the only way out." Basil sighed. He picked up a small stone and threw it over the edge. "Or that."

Devon ran to the jet and unlocked the cockpit. "We should all fit in the back, there's like a cargo area."

The others groaned and hopped into fairly large jet while Jonah and Devon took the pilot seats.

Devon's eyes sparkled. "Now that the ultimate war of evil and good has begun, its time for us to get right into the action…the Sailor Soldiers will be there soon…and we will be there to help! To the city!"

"To the city!" they yelled.

Jonah shifted the gears and sent the jet flying into the haze and into the middle of a war zone.


	35. Chapter 35: Battle Royale

"If you men have not guessed," Maddox sounded calmly "I have an announcement to make concerning one of your fellow team members."

Cole glanced up at Maddox suspiciously, "Are you talking about Matt? Where is he?"

Maddox looked away from Cole's stare of concern. "Matt will not be coming back."

The 4 men's eyes bulged in shock. "What?" they all demanded in unison.

"There isn't much to tell." Maddox assured. "Matt has decided to end his training with me and pursue his own objectives alone."

"Maddox…"Cole glared in disbelief. "How could you…?"

"I assure you, Cole!", Maddox defended. "I did all that I could to stop him…but he refused and I realized that I could not force him to ignore whatever task he was set on accomplishing."

"We can only give you the benefit of the doubt I suppose." Drake frowned. "But that is all we can give you at this point."

Drake walked back to his chamber.

The other 3 stood silently before Maddox.

"If you desire…", Maddox said coldly. "You can spend the next hour reflecting on your loss…but I am afraid training will resume as usual after that."

David, Andrew, and Cole put their backs to Maddox and coldly walked off into Drake's chamber.

"I hate when I lose their trust, just as I have now," Maddox flinched.

_The truth will be revealed soon enough… _

"When will it be safe to send them off on their own?"

_When the transformations are complete…_

"If another one decides to leave…I may never capture their trust and potential again."

_They will not…they have a Prince to protect._

"I know," Maddox sighed. "I know."

"Things are falling apart!" David growled.

"I don't trust him…I should have never trusted him…" Drake said bitterly.

Cole frowned at the two men. "This will do us no good if we don't become a strong as we need to. Matt would have wanted us to stay and become stronger."

"Screw that! I need to find him….we should all leave and forget who ever met Maddox!", David yelled.

Cole glared at them. "I will not tolerate any of this crap anymore. You will ALL stay here, and that is a direct order."

"From who, Maddox?" David snarled defiantly.

Cole used to newfound strength to grab David by the neck. "From me."

He threw him back down.

"If anything we need to work twice as hard as ever!" Cole commanded. "We each need to train that much harder for Matt. And only then will we leave…only when our training is complete."

Drake smiled slightly at Cole. "I'm with you to the end, Cole."

"From now on, we have our own regimen." Cole sneered. "Whatever Maddox orders us to do…we will do double until he says that we are ready for our enemy. Am I understood, Soldiers?"

Drake and Andrew nodded from the sides. David stared without comment.

"In honor of Matt we will train and become stronger than ever!" Cole smiled triumphantly and exited.

An entire day has passed in the chamber as sweat continued to pour and muscles continued to inflate to their maximum. Cole relentlessly attempted to master deadly combat skills in even the harshest of atmospheres.

He threw his fists in the air in the gravitational training zones, flipping, turning, and maneuvering himself as if he were fighting on earth. He refused to let his surroundings define his limits…he refused to never be taken seriously again…it was going to be a new era of control and power.

He wiped the sweat off of his lips and grimaced. It felt good to be so physically powerful and superior. He loved feeling so much emotionally lighter now that his humanity was almost lost.

As he looked at his self, he could not even recognize himself from the day before.

And he seemed to be the only one drastically transforming…both on the inside and out. The feeling of commanding the soldiers the day before was so invigorating and almost orgasmic to him…there was so much purpose and meaning to his being now. He looked forward to conquering the most intense evil in his life.

Occasionally he would think back to the illusion of him fearing himself to the extent of actually fighting a counterpart, but it meant nothing to him anymore, if anything it made him stronger to have lost his conscience.

Matt wasn't even part of the equation as much as was showing off his strength to everyone who had every doubted him in the past. He would show them a leader, and they would love him and appreciate him…there was no room or tolerance for doubt.

_Cole…_

A cold voice whispered down his neck. It sent chills through his spine.

He turned and looked up to Maddox who glanced upon him emptily.

"Did you say something, Maddox? I am quite occupied if you don't mind."

"I said nothing," Maddox snarled. "I have come to bring you to our next level of training…_if you don't mind_." He mocked and stormed frigidly away.

Cole had been at strengthening for days on end and he still needed more to quench his hunger for strength and triumph. He groaned and walked slowly after Maddox.

He was being led into the main chamber, where most of the group events had occurred. The room was very dimly lit, except for wherever Maddox was holding the session. Otherwise the rest of the chamber was filled with mist and hazes.

Cole broke through the fog and towards the center where a very large oval was left perfectly lit and formed. Almost like a wrestling area, but larger.

He was stunned at what Maddox urged him to look upon; Drake and Andrew were in the center of the rink, fighting viciously as if to the death while a translucent timer was hung far above them. Cole looked in curiosity as the number would randomly triple of double at a given moment.

Drake and Andrew elbowed and threw punches at each other at a remarkable rate, and as the number above them lowered, the more intense the battle would become.

Currently the number read 4, but in the blink of an eye, the number became 24 .

Drake was about to throw a finishing punch at Andrew, but as soon as the number flashed he looked as if he couldn't even make the two inches to Andrew's face.

Andrew dropped to the ground, grabbing Drake's feet slowly as he hurled him to his back.

Vengefully, he approached Drake with his fist clenched. He lifted his arm back and prepared a harsh blow to the stomach.

_48_, the board flashed.

Andrew was jolted into the ground with Drake under his motionless body.

They simply lay there for many moments. Each, for some reason could not muster even the energy to move.

_2_

Andrew managed to quiver onto his feet and Drake did the same.

They gave a stone expression to the other, and before another number could appear, they collapsed onto the ground.

The entire room lit up and Cole ran to the men's aid.

"What exactly was going on here?" Cole roared. "They are practically lifeless!"

"This is the next task, Cole. It is part of your training—"

"What? To watch my teammates pummel each other to the death?"

"To master even the darkest of atmospheres and conditions. You will do this as well."

He sent a large jolt of energy into the fallen from his palm. Drake and Andrew vanished into thin air.

"Where did you put them?"

"They are being put into healing chambers, where they will make complete recoveries very soon."

"That is sick, Maddox. I don't care how much it 'prepares us! SICK!" Cole howled.

"Then _your_ experience is going to be very horrible with that attitude."

The lights blacked around the oval, and without warning a hemisphere was formed over the arena.

"Here are the rules," Maddox assured.

"I refuse to hurt my friends like this. It is disgusting."

Maddox ignored him. "There are none. You will have an infinite amount of time to win or lose this battle, and a random number will be generated, completely out of my control I assure you, that will determine how intense the gravity will be. If it is a 2, it is twice as intense as the gravity on earth, etcetera and etcetera. Do what you must."

"Are you saying I fight until we both collapse?"

"What you just saw was a fluke." Maddox uttered bitterly "Almost every time there _will_ be a winner. That is when it will end."

"What makes you so sure there will be a winner?"

The light intensified around the opposite end of Cole; David stepped into the center.

"It is because _I _am your opponent." David glared. "And I refuse to be deemed an equal."

Cole stared directly into the icy leer of David. They were only inches apart.

"May the most capable warrior win," Maddox sounded.

David grinned evilly. "I have waited for this opportunity for ages…we can finally determine who is stronger and capable between us…isn't this exciting, Cole?"

He stared out towards his morbid teammate. "David, I really want to fight…but we are teammates…it is not you who I need to fight."

"Are you saying that you are too powerful to even consider fighting me?" He mocked. "Don't rip your britches. You are going down."

"David…" Cole frowned.

"Begin," said Maddox.

David rammed his knee into Cole's crotch and threw him back like a worthless rag. Cole groaned with pain.

"You weakling…you will NOT do this to me…" David demanded. "You will NOT hold back!" his voice echoed.

Cole's eyes went crimson. He stood face to face with David.

"Not on your life." He smirked.

_0_

Although the meter was invisible from within the dome, Cole could tell it was little to nothing. He felt almost invincible in this atmosphere, not only was he just about at his maximum strength, but this gravitational pull was absolutely nothing compared to the numbers he trained in.

"Give me your best shot…_leader_." David growled mockingly.

Cole obeyed. He sent David flying back with a fist to the face.

From that moment on, the talking had ceased. David glided onto his feet and attempted to elbow Cole in the chest. He grabbed David by the shoulder, and pinned him to his torso.

David put his foot behind Cole's and threw him to the ground.

Cole viciously clutched David's legs and spun him around recklessly like a doll. As he became dizzy he released David and sent him head on into the sphere barrier.

To a normal man, the impact would have cracked his skull open, but to David, it was a very hard blow to the head. He rammed into the unbreakable barrier and fell back to the floor. He flipped himself to his feet and threw a punch to Cole.

He caught his fist in his hands while David slyly sent his foot to his chin. He continued with a series of swift blows to the stomach and face with a finishing elbow into the barrier wall. Cole slid down with a thud.

_12_

Cole managed to get to his feet, but noticed the slight heaviness on his shoulders. The number was at least tripled. Nevertheless it was nothing for him.

With his fist clench, Cole smacked David senselessly towards the back wall.

They ran towards each other and each pushed the others faces to their right shoulder.

Cole felt the bones in his neck pop loudly in his ear and retaliated with a fist to his groin.

There was more to this battle than just training for the inevitable…it was also very territorial and meaningful to both men. For years they had worked together with so much tension and jealousy between them over many things…and this battle would be almost the an answer to the question they longed to know since day one; who deserved the role of leader?

David swung his leg across Cole's face. David was indeed exponentially stronger than he ever had been before.

_36_

The shift taking him by surprise, Cole fell to his knees and David slowly limped towards him. Now absorbing the atmosphere, Cole rose without problem and attempted to tackle David down.

They both clutched each other's hands over their heads and desperately tried to overpower the other.

_20_

There was a relief and lifting of tension on Cole's part and threw David to the side. Cole charged his leg and threw it towards the ground-borne David who squeezed his calf and hurled Cole into the wall.

Cole took this moment as an opportunity to lay low and gain some strength back. He closed his eyes and focused.

David sent his fist into Cole's back.

Despite the pain, Cole was concentrating.

David pushed his elbow into his neck.

Cole ignored the sting.

_40_

David was jolted onto his back. He had a greater strength now.

He threw David to the side with his shoulder and grabbed his neck.

Viciously he continued to bash his head violently at the sphere with everything he had gained.

_10_

David roared and flung the back of his hand into Cole's nose. He smacked him across his face with his knuckles.

With revenge in his eyes, Cole made a sly uppercut that sent David several feet away from him. For once they were not at each other's throats.

They each took several heavy breathes, but refused to stop. David rubbed his throat and Cole held his cheek. The demon within Cole was taking over.

David made an awkward expression and fell to his back.

Cole relentlessly walked towards him with evil intentions in mind.

He looked down at David's fallen body and prepared to ram the heel of his boot into his neck.

David sprung up and with a battle-like cry he held his hands together and swung them into Cole's head.

Cole was sent into the ground harder than he had ever been before.

"THIS IS FOR KILLING URANUS!"

He kicked Cole in the stomach.

"THIS IS FOR MERCURY!"

He pushed his heel into Cole's back.

"AND THIS IS FOR ALL OF THE LIES!"

Cole could not tell what David did to him and he said this, but when he did it, he sent out roar of pain. He lay motionless and defeated.

David planted himself firmly into the ground victoriously.

_36_

He laughed triumphantly as the shift took no affect on his stance.

Cole could feel himself being pushed even harder into the base.

The confidence that he had at the beginning of the match was fading away and being replaced with anger and hatred.

…_we can finally determine who is stronger and capable between us… too powerful to even consider fighting me?…rules…there are none…do what you must…_

Cole's eyes shot wide open. He cackled madly at David's feet.

"I suppose you find defeat funny…or maybe this has been too big a realization for you," David smiled.

"Eat dirt." Cole sneered.

"You eat mine," David growled, putting his foot on Cole's head.

The sphere began to rumble and a road of cracks formed over the surface.

The ground surrounding Cole broke into many sections and the mists were blown away.

Cole was glowing an eye piercing white.

"What are you doing?"

Cole stared off into space, ignoring David's exclamation.

_Saturn…_Cole echoed demonically.

"NO!" David demanded. "YOU CANT DO THAT!"

…_Crisis…_

The words tore through David's ears. Impulsively he tried to kick Cole into unconsciousness.

…_Power._

A super human screech surrounded Cole and projected to all directions.

A gust surrounded him and they senselessly shattered the hemisphere into millions of shards of worthless glass.

Maddox smirked quietly to himself.

_This is the warrior I put my faith in…_

David was flung back and Cole floated off the ground and stared into David's horrified expression.

Angelic wings sprouted around Cole and his body was covered with a snow-white layer of skin and threads of delicate fabric and material.

Suddenly something began to go foul. Cole gave an awkward expression to David, as if he were going to vomit. His wings shattered into thousands of feathers and were replaced by crimson hands. A dark symbol erupted from Cole's forehead, and the material was torn into shreds as Cole dilated to 4 times his size.

He looked like an incarnation of a demonic figure and his eyes were replaced with solid purple slits in his blood-red skin. Large fangs sprouted from his mouth and the numbers above him spun insanely out of control.

The numbers were reaching the hundreds and soon enough, the thousands while Cole's figure charged a scarlet sphere within its claw.

Cole cackled and sent the ball into the ground and the entire room was covered with a satanic glow.

In an instant the chamber went black.


	36. Chapter 36: Retrieval

Cole awoke to the radiance of the healing chamber. He felt so disoriented and weak that is was hard to comprehend his surroundings; he had no recollection of what had happened….

_Who won_? Was his first initial thought. He scrunched his eyes together to try to recall even the tiniest of details of the battle and with nothing but a excruciating pain in his head to show for it.

He instead decided to close his eyes and absorb the therapeutic mists around him, slowly restoring his strength, and with time…perhaps his memories.

As irritating a thought as it was this was not the first time that Cole simply blanked out like this…more and more it tended to happen more often, and in larger chunks. He still had yet to recall the conclusion to his battle against Maddox…he still had no recollection of his first face to face meeting with the Amazon quartet. So many aspects of him were slowly being taken from him…it was draining him and slowly taking a toll on him.

The healing powers of the chamber were restoring his strengths back, but he was beginning to realize that nothing could give him back his identity. Not only was he physically different, but also he was emotionally foreign to himself. Nothing could restore that.

The truth was that there were no memories left…they were gone and so was he…and yet he felt that it was no better a time to embrace himself—the new "himself" that would gaze back on him behind a mirror for his lifetime…however long his lifetime may be.

He opened his eyes and attempted to escape into the main chamber…perhaps the battle dome would give him some answers to the questions he possessed. He noticed several small cables on his backside and chest; carelessly he ripped them off and started off toward the exit.

He could feel the intensity of the battle taking a sick toll on his body. He collapsed and slid forward on his stomach. Those cables that he ripped from his body must have been keeping him stable; without them he felt worthless. Even the mists could not help him rise quickly enough; his only choice was to just lie until he could make his way out.

He gave himself a few more moments and pushed himself onto his knees. He struggled to stand, but alas he had managed to rise onto his feet. He stumbled to the exit as quickly as he could.

The muscles on his body felt so raw and flattened, they had contracted somehow and felt like they had been stretched to triple their size. It hurt to even think of running.

His heart stopped; he heard someone in the distance, instead of running back to the bed, he rushed out to get to the main chamber as quickly as possible.

Falling over seemed almost inevitable and being caught was even more so, but as long as some of the questions on his mind were put to rest, it would be to some avail. He had managed to limp out of the healing chamber and into an empty hall.

The progression of his healing went to a sudden halt and he looked outwards at the long and lonely hallway. He moved as quickly as possible and tried his hardest to keep his head up and body forward; if he collapsed, there could be no way to get back up.

Then the thought hit him…the only way the others arrived to the healing chamber was through that strange light that only Maddox could create…but he couldn't go back…forward was the only way to go, so forward is where he went.

He continued to slither through the hall, hoping with all of his heart that Maddox would not find him. He knew exactly where he needed to go…he wanted to find out once and for all what was happening to him during these blackouts. 'Who won' was a meaningless concept; he wanted closure—answers.

His muscles ached as if he was crawling on a carpet of razors, but if he managed to find the battle dome the pain would be well worth it.

Then the darkness Cole knew to be his pessimism disrupted his thoughts. Perhaps Maddox had already taken care of everything, perhaps there was no battle dome to find, and maybe all traces of the battle would be lost forever…Nevertheless he continued to move and find out for himself.

The hallway was coming top an end and Cole found himself in the center of a huge empty room quickly enough. The room felt frigid and sad…except for the very center of the circular room. In the very center there was a single thread of light that seemed to project from the very tips of the virtually never-ending ceiling. As it fell upon his scalp things felt that much less cold. There was a certain amount of happiness he felt in this light. He almost had the will and strength to stand even.

_Your persistence is worth deep admiration, Cole_, said an eerily familiar tone.

Cole glanced weakly to his sides, but shivered as he realized the voice seemed to tingle into his head from the single strand of light.

"Please tell me you are not Maddox," Cole said impulsively. He bit his lip at these words. It was more of something he preferred to keep in his head.

_No, I am not Maddox…so please do not be hesitant to relax. You will not be harmed. _

Ironically this put Cole further on edge. His lips quivered, "May I ask who you are then? I assume you think you know me."

The voice seemed quite surprised to hear his last sentence. _Why do you say that?_

Cole somehow felt much more at ease to say what was on his mind. "Look…whoever you are, I have heard many voices in my time, especially from the mysterious sort like you. I know that tone, and I know you are here to at the very least pretend to guide me and assist me in some way---

Cole was cut short. _I assure you that what I have to say will not---_

"I wasn't finished," Cole snapped. "Don't talk to me, I don't want to hear it…I am sick of everything and I really can't take this anymore! I don't know what it is about you…but when I hear your voice, it makes it so much easier for me to vent and just so what I want to say…so I am going to say it. I don't want to talk to you, because I don't trust you. I don't trust anybody anymore…", Cole babbled uncontrollably. "I have put my trust into more people and more voices then there are bibles in cheap motel drawers.

I have put trust into my teammates into standing up for me in the worst case scenario…like being framed for murdering a friend for instance…I have put faith in my own opponents to only be backstabbed…I have trusted the supernatural thinking that it isn't too much to ask to be a fairly decent human being in good faith that whoever the hell is up there wont spit in your face and blow up a city and kill your mother. And this is only the tip of the iceberg! I'm telling you I really don't want to hear what you have to say…for once I just want to get up and find something out on my own…see something with my own two eyes and go from there. I don't want voices to predict chaos…I don't want friends to tell me their hunches or their better ideas of action…I just want to do something on my own without somebody biting in the ass for every little goddamn thing I want to do.

You know what it all comes down to…I have just lost my faith…I have lost my faith in god, in love, in friendship, in trust, in memories, in enemies, and the common good. That is my problem…that is my flaw…I just am too ready to jump on the safety train of somebody else's words.

Who the hell knows why I am who I am. Who knows why its me with the scepter and not Julie Chang at International Studies 101 in Takyama. I don't know why, I never will, but I am sure as hell not going to believe anybody else's explanation. How many time's have I sad hell in these few minutes anyway? I sure don't know. I don't know, and I don't even care. Ha! I JUST HATE EVERYBODY! There! I hate you, I hate Matt, and Maddox, and Christie, and my mother, my father…everybody. I hate myself. I hate my scepter and I hate my life, my job, _and_ my responsibilities. I don't care if you think I am babbling, so what, I hate you, remember, so don't you dare even think of saying another word to me you sorry son-of-a-bitch voice.

I hate what you mysterious types stand for anyway. I just want to be in a room by myself where nobody is there to hug me, or to hold my hand, or yell at me. I just want everyone to die for a little while sometimes…to be honest."

He suddenly felt tired and empty. The need and sudden urge to talk nonstop had leaked through his skin and he looked curiously around to realize that he was in the middle of a large crater in the middle of an even larger room. Everything was obliterated to a distinct nothingness in this room, and yet from the moments his finger tips touched this new surface he knew exactly where he was. He was where he wanted to be. He was where he needed to be. This was where he was, hopefully not very long ago…when he was in full physical health set to battle against his own teammate. This was where he lost valuable memories. He was seeing it with his very own eyes. Nobody told him what happened…nobody told asked him why it happened…he finally had an opportunity to look back at what he had left behind.

_Tell me more_. He thought darkly to himself.

The room became a shade lighter and everything began to move unnaturally fast around him. The crater was a foundation again and slowly the shards of desolation began to form a dome around it.

His eyes ached in frustration as a story was beginning to be told to him so fast that he simply could not understand it.

A wicked glow began to engulf his body along with the entire chamber for an instant…and in several moments he shook his head in disbelief; he could have sworn on his mother's grave that he saw his own self in the middle of this flurry of images and memories. In a second instant he even thought he saw a glimpse of David, but everything continued to be going to reverse. Everything was a cold blur.

Finally Cole was able to see the battle dome in its full glory, even the gravitational meter hovered over it as it had before.

A single shiver was sent down his spine; his thoughts were confirmed. He was about to witness the entire battle between him and David with his own eyes...although now he was the spectator as well as the participant.

David had already sent his knee into Cole's crotch and the spectator Cole couldn't help but relive that specific instance of pain. He never realized how badly he wanted to win this, whether or not he had known it at the time.

The even eerier concept of viewing this battle was that he could also see the rage and hatred seething through David's eyes. David obviously wanted Cole to be the loser as badly as Cole wanted to be the victor.

The thought of how or why he was watching this was completely erased from his thoughts. The strange voice seemed to have left the depths of his thoughts, or so he thought.

Little did Cole realize was that there was a certain power that this voice had over him that was indescribable and unimaginable.

Little did he also realize was that he would never remember hearing this voice again and in fact he would simply wake up in the same bed as he had before—never knowing why he could recall such vivid and gruesome details of the ensuing battle royale.

The harsh truth was that Cole simply did not realize his vulnerabilities as well as those who needed to exploit them.


	37. Chapter 37: The Edge

The tension between the men was inescapable. With one of their own mysteriously torn from their ranks, the Sailor Soldiers were weary to continue training under Maddox. However, while Maddox had seriously lost the trust and respect that he had barely sufficed to earn, it was Cole who was secretly scorned at.

Used to resting on a five legged house, the foundation of the Soldiers' morale was on the verge of collapse and no one was willing to pick up the pieces. Matt's location was unbeknownst to all, but Cole hoped with all of his heart that it was not in vain.

It was also Cole who soon took it upon himself to become powerful enough to fill the gap Mars rudely left behind. His training became exponentially more intense and his determination and drive was indisputably the most valiant.

The room was filled with a haze that cooled his inferno of a body. With his scepter clutched firmly in his grip, Cole summoned an overwhelming blaze of energy at the metallic sphere. In this exercise, Cole was required to destroy the large ornament in with one, quite potent, blow. Every time he would make an impact on it, however, it would immediately recover to full strength. Maddox's new twist on this activity, to Cole's partial chagrin, was that this sphere was only as powerful as Cole's most recent, personal best.

A long stream of sweat trickled down his throat as the sphere hovered tauntingly before him. Cole could only give a crazed glare of fatigue; five hours had passed.

"Saturn…," he groaned, "Nuclear Armageddon!"

The small replication of Saturn sprouted from his palm as Cole angrily thrust it at the metal target. It was time for Cole to demonstrate his newest talents. In the prime of a second Cole quickly concentrated on the explosive ray of energy he had released. A neon glow glazed the surface of his hand; Cole now had an entirely new level of control of kinetic energy. With a swift movement of his hand, Cole could tame as well as contain the blast. He slyly directed attack to the center of the unfortunate sphere and quickly before impact he shielded himself from the backlash with a mysterious dome he mustered from the ground.

The Armageddon Missile devoured the entire chamber with deadly radiation and nuclear rays. The dome shielded Cole protectively from his own assault. When the right moment approached Cole clutched his neon fist shut. All symptoms of the blast vanished at once.

Cole had shut his eyes optimistically, hoping that he had crushed the annoyance once and for all. Slowly he let them open. Alas, he had failed once again. The sixth hour was approaching. Virtually in tears, he let the dome shatter into pieces.

He had made a silent agreement with himself that he would reserve the purity chalice as a last resort, but he was becoming increasingly desperate. The fatigue of this entire event was unbearable and he would gladly take any other task over this. Against his better judgment he threw his hands towards the heavens.

The dimensional barriers between the worlds abruptly ripped apart, and the traditional bolt of lightning pushed itself beneath its conjuror's flesh. His white soldier uniform collapsed to the ground, exposing his raw body as his large muscles pulsated under the pressure. The long white gloves began to wrap themselves around Cole's wrists and the heavenly wings also began to sprout from his back and flap around his bare corpse.

It was at this moment that he could feel the hands of death around his neck. It snapped with ease and he fell into the ground.

In an instant the chamber faded away into a very small well-lit room where Maddox tended to the lifeless boy. He held his head off the ground and injected his torn neck with a strange serum. Maddox positioned his large hand over Cole's heart and seemed to be thrusting life back into his veins. With a mother's precision, Maddox gently realigned Cole on the ground and brushed his damp hair from his eyes. Quickly Maddox stood back up and rushed to the back of the room inconspicuously.

Cole opened his eyes and touched the side of his neck; it was completely normal. He felt as if he arisen from a deep sleep and soon noticed Maddox looking down at him with a suspiciously cold glance.

"I'm afraid to say that you failed your task, Cole." Maddox muttered "But you knew that." Cole nodded shamefully.

"I am so sorry Maddox." Cole pleaded "I failed myself when I failed to exceed my current best. That was absolutely disgraceful," Cole bitterly spat "and it will _not_ happen again."

Maddox approached Cole with a disciplined amount of concern. "Cole, I am not going to lie to you, you _did_ exceed your last known best." He paused "In fact you increased by three point four times. You failed when you merely collapsed in the brink of it."

Cole's expression was overcome with utter hysteria. Tears uncontrollably rolled down his cheeks. "Ma-Maddox! If I became stronger than I ever have why did that damn sphere not explode? WHY?"

"Cole, I did not want to end your session until you were at a certain level of strength---"

"NO! You lied Maddox! I was going at that damn Christmas tree ornament for hours on end! A-And you were just going to let me go at it for as long as you wanted! I-I…" Cole was on the verge of a complete breakdown. "I HATE YOU! I hate fucking everybody now!" Cole roared "And everybody fucking hates me! I cannot take it anymore! I am falling apart, my team—my family is falling apart and when I am trying to become strong enough for all of us _you_ just screw with me!" Cole rose from the ground angrily. "I'll meet you in hell!"

Maddox merely did not bother to reason with Cole in this state. Luckily it was not the first time this had happened, nor would it be the last in the final moments of this world altering training.


End file.
